Way Of The Samurai: The Samurai's Last Stand
by Lily Hanson
Summary: Follows Baby Blues - Serrator's planning something big. Xandred's bound to come back eventually. Dekker wants his son and the ultimate duel, Dayu just wants Dekker. The Rangers have come this far already, but will they be able to make it to the end? What about Jayden's secret?
1. It Will Backfire

_Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers: (Super) Samurai. This is purely fan-made._

_Author's Note: FINALLY! New episodes are back. I'll be sad to see Samurai end, but I'm really excited to get started on this last set of episodes and chapters. It's going to be really exciting!_

As much as Serena wanted to help her little sister get better, she found she couldn't. Anytime she tried to do something to help, she got worried and would mess up. She couldn't focus on reading the books in the archives to try to find something and she couldn't be in the same room as her sister without getting in someone's way.

Serrator was one very special Nighlok. A Nighlok Serena wanted to see destroyed. She no longer cared about the things he had done to her: kidnapping her, breaking her down and using her fears to turn her into his loyal servant. She didn't care that he wanted, maybe even needed her for something that could destroy the world. She didn't even care about all the things he had done in the past to hurt her. Right now, all she cared about was what he had just done.

He had sent out a Nighlok whose special power was to make people sick. Little bugs would be unleashed by the Nighlok and would sting people infecting them with something that would cause them unbearable pain. First, he had attacked the city, like any Nighlok would. Then he came to the house with Serrator, unleashed his little bugs, which flew through the shields (because of how tiny they were), and stung Emily. Now, not only was Emily sick, but she was also pregnant, and it was very possible that whatever was making her sick would spread to the baby. At such an early developmental state, the baby was extremely vulnerable. If something didn't happen soon… Serena didn't even want to think about it.

Feeling useless on the research team, and useless by Emily's side, Serena focused on the only thing she could do: fighting Serrator. She made a dummy in his likeness and stood before it. Her blood boiled. This was his fault.

"I do that with Dayu," Mia whispered from the doorway just as Serena was about to attack the dummy Serrator. Serena turned around and saw Mia standing there, hugging Storm to her chest.

"I thought you were with Emily."

"I can't do it," Mia shook her head. "I know I told you not to go with Serrator… but what if something happens to her anyway? I just lost my dad. I can't do this again. Not now."

"Not ever," Serena promised. "Emily's going to be fine."

"So then why are you so angry?" she pointed to the Serrator dummy, "A few hours ago just his name would have paralyzed you."

"Things change."

"That much?"

Serena looked to the Serrator dummy, raised her sword and took him down with ease. When he hit the ground _"dead"_, she turned to Mia and nodded her head, "Yes."

"What are you worried about?"

"My baby sister's pregnant," Serena said. "The timing sucked, but she and Mike would make great parents."

"That's why you trust them with Terran," Mia nodded.

"They don't deserve this. They've been through too much already."

"We've been through quite a bit. All of us," Mia said. "Do you really think they're going to lose the baby, though?"

"Unless something happens now, it doesn't stand a chance."

"Mia, Serena, there you are," Mako walked into the dojo and looked to the two girls, "Emily's blood tests are back. We've found something."

"What?" Serena asked. Mia hugged Storm a little tighter.

"Sanzu Water."

"In her blood?" Serena sat down on the bench to catch her breath. Sanzu Water in her blood was bad news for Emily, but it had happened before to Serena, and she was still standing strong. However, Sanzu Water in Emily's blood was dangerous for the baby. The baby was smaller, weaker. Even a drop of the poisonous water could kill it. Serena had seen this coming, but it was still hard to take in.

"Mike's angry," Mako said. "The boys are trying to calm him down, but nothing they say helps. Kevin told me you know what to do, Mia."

Mia nodded her head. She did have a way with Mike. For some reason, he seemed to listen to her when she tried to calm him down: sometimes better than he would listen to Emily. Mia always knew what to say and how to say it, and Mike would react to her words, sometimes in anger, but most of the time by thinking about what it was that was making him angry and eventually realizing throwing a tantrum would do nothing to help.

"We'll take care of Mike," Mia said, "Serena, I'm sure Emily's worried."

Mia handed Storm to Serena. The dog had a way of cheering Emily up, or comforting her if she was upset. Mia was sure Emily would appreciate some time with her sister and her dog, and eventually with Mike once he calmed down enough to be of comfort. Both were at a high risk of losing their baby and they were going to need each other.

Serena headed to Emily's bedroom, while Mia, Mako, and the boys convinced Mike to step outside for a moment. Mia and Serena exchanged looks. They knew it was going to happen, but were convinced it was best to keep their theories to themselves. Mia left the room, following Mike and the boys as the green Ranger stormed into the common room and flipped over a stool. He was pissed.

"Mike! Stop this!" Jayden shouted at him and Kevin tried to grab his arm to restrain him. Mia shook her head.

"Kevin, stop."

"Mia, he's going to hurt someone!"

"Then make sure it's not you," Mia said and gestured to the wall. Kevin, Mako, and the boys took a step back as Mike flipped over another stool. Mia took a deep breath. She couldn't lose someone else after having just lost her father. It was a horrible pain and she was terrified of what would happen, how she would feel, and what she would do once her theory was confirmed. Losing her father, and then right after losing her future niece or nephew was the worst experience she had ever lived through, and right now, she couldn't even say she had lived through it. She was right in the middle of it.

But she couldn't imagine how Mike was feeling. Though she knew Emily's pregnancy was very real, Emily wasn't showing. For everyone but Mike and Emily, a new baby was still just a thought. She didn't get a chance to bond with the baby like Mike and Emily had, and though it was a loss that hurt, it didn't hurt nearly as much for her.

For Mike, this was his baby. His flesh and blood. His daughter or son. This was a horrible tragedy and he had every right to be angry and to throw things around. He had every right to be hurt.

She had lost her father. Mike was losing his child. It was different, but it was all the same in the end. She could be empathetic with him.

"Feels like the world is ending, huh?" Mia said. Mike picked up one of Ji's bonsai and threw them into the wall, just beside Mia's head. Now Mako, Kevin, and even Jayden were worried. Mike was emotionally unstable and only days before Mia had thought, and had almost gone through with her plan to kill herself. This was a dangerous combination.

Mia looked at the broken shards of ceramic, the dirt, and the bonsai on the ground and thanked whoever was up in the sky that Mike hadn't hit her. Then she turned to Mike. "I'm trying to help you."

"Help with what?" Mike shouted at her but kept his distance. He was trying to calm down by himself already. He was pacing back and forth and running a shaky pair of hands through his hair. If he could keep himself under control from here on out, Mia would have to remember later on to congratulate him. This was a huge step for him.

But that wasn't what she needed to focus on now. She needed him to calm down. With or without her help, he needed to calm down.

"It's your kid, Mike, I get that, but you need to calm down, and you need to focus."

"Focus on what? My baby could be dead!"

"We know what's making Emily sick, now," Mia said, "We know what those little pests have done to her, we can make sure she's okay. You're not going to lose her."

"But my baby…"

"I'm sure the doctor's trying really hard, but there might be nothing we can do for the baby, Mike," Mia looked Mike in the eyes, "I'm sorry."

Mike grabbed his head as his knees buckled. He dropped to the ground and let out a scream, "It's not fair!"

Mia looked right at James, silently letting him know she was passing over the responsibility of Mike over to him for now. James gave her a little nod and approached Mike. He sat down beside the green Ranger while Mia turned away. Kevin pulled her into his arms.

"You did great," he whispered in her ear. Mako also came over and touched Mia's back, letting her know she was close.

James put his hand on Mike's shoulder, "I have no idea what I would do if anything happened to Terran. I'd probably scream and shout too."

"It's going to happen, isn't it?" Mike sobbed and looked to James for an answer. The older man didn't have one. He knew Sanzu Water was bad, but he had the least knowledge of all things Samurai out of everyone in the room.

"I don't know, Mike," he gave the green Ranger's shoulder a little squeeze, "but it is looking pretty bad right now."

Mike clenched and then unclenched his fists, "It was just a stupid baby anyways. It wasn't even born yet. Emily wasn't even showing."

"It was still your baby," James said. "Mike, it's okay to be upset."

Kevin looked over to his best friend. He let go of Mia and left her with her grandmother while he went to join Mike on the floor.

"We're all scared, Mike. We're all upset."

"Serrator will pay for this," Antonio sat down next to Mike. "We'll kick his ass, and we'll bring Emily along to help. He won't even get the satisfaction of knowing what he's done. He'll think whatever he had planned backfired."

"We'll be seven Rangers again," Jayden nodded, "He'll have no idea what happened. We'll take him surprise and then we'll kill him. We'll kill him, and we'll kill Dayu. We'll kill all the Nighlok. We'll save the world."

Mike nodded his head and tried to wipe the tears from his eyes. Kevin looked at him and shook his head.

"It's okay to cry," he pulled the green Ranger in for a hug.


	2. For Serena James

Now that they knew what was making Emily sick, they could treat her. Nothing would be as good as finally destroying the Nighlok who had infected her, but the Samurai could make her comfortable. For now she had an IV going into her hand. Ji had had to counteract the effects of Sanzu Water poisoning before and had come up with an antidote that would work. It had once healed Mike from his Spider-Nighlok form and Storm from her werewolf form. The drip, as well as drinking plenty of water would ensure Emily's survival.

But that was no comfort to Emily. It seemed she had reached the same conclusion as Serena and Mia, and was now just waiting for the bad news that her unborn child was dead. The fact that the doctor's gloves were covered in blood did nothing to disprove her theory. She couldn't feel the cramps over the stomach pains from the Nighlok, but she was certain she was experiencing them and that the blood was not a sign of her illness, but of miscarriage.

The doctor came back from the bathroom after being inside for what felt like an eternity. He had done something, but over the pain and the upset Emily was feeling, she hadn't bothered to ask him what. She just let him carry on, hoping he could and would do something to save her baby.

"It is official," he whispered as he walked over to the bed, holding a little box in his hands, "The Sanzu Water poisoned and killed the baby."

Serena, who had come in to comfort her sister while the others all dealt with Mike and his understandable tantrum, took her sister's hand and squeezed it. Emily sat up. Her stomach still hurt her, and she had to fight her own body so she didn't double over in pain, but she managed to prop herself up and look into the box the doctor had in his hands. He passed it to her and whispered an apology.

"This is the sac, along with what would have been your baby," the doctor added, "I thought you might want to say goodbye."

"Doc…" Serena was about to say something to the doctor, unsure this was the right thing for Emily. Her little sister had been the one to cry for days when she realized that the disappearance of the farm animals coincided with the appearance of the meat on her plate at dinner. Though she had always been happy when the roosters disappeared (having never loved the mean-spirited animals in the first place), she spent hours crying in Serena's arms when she had been told her father slaughtered them. She refused to speak to her father for weeks after that, until it was properly explained to her that chickens, cows, and pigs were food, and people needed to eat food. It also helped when, one evening, their mother baked an apple pie and refused to let Emily eat even a crumb until she finished the chicken on her plate.

Showing Emily her dead unborn child was a bad, very bad move on the doctor's part, or so Serena thought. With a very shaky hand, Emily grabbed the box and looked inside. The little baby was extremely tiny, but Emily could already make out what would have been arms and legs, and the head was about half the size of the entire embryo.

Serena looked to her sister as Emily stared at the little baby. She could tell Emily was hurting but she saw something else in her little sister's eyes. Emily looked to the baby the same way Serena had looked down at Terran when she saw him for the first time. Circumstances were very different, but in the end it was all the same.

"Serrator's not going to win," Serena promised and gave her sister a kiss on the head. "He's going to pay for this, I swear."

"I want to bury her beside Scruffy," Emily whispered and tried to get out of bed, but the pain immobilized her and Serena lowered her back down.

"We'll do that later," she said. She gently took the box from Emily's hands and gave it back to the doctor. He took it back to the bathroom, giving the girls some privacy. Serena brushed her sister's hair away from her face, "Once you're feeling better, we'll bury her."

Storm, who had been laying at the foot of the bed, got up and carefully walked to the top of the bed. She put her two front paws on Emily's chest and looked to her mistress sadly. She knew Emily was in a lot of pain and wanted to do something to help.

"Stay with her, Storm," Serena told the dog and then started to leave the bedside. Emily sobbed which caused Serena to turn around.

"Please don't leave."

Serena looked to Emily, "I'm going to find that Nighlok, Em. I'll kill him."

"L-Let Mike kill him," Emily whispered. "I'm sure he wants to."

"Emily…"

"Please," Emily begged, "don't leave."

Serena sighed. She wanted nothing more than to destroy the Nighlok that had hurt her sister and Mike, except maybe to see her sister get better. She walked back over to the bed, sat down, and pulled her sister into her arms.

"Is the antidote helping?"

Emily held Serena tightly and shook her head, "I don't know."

"It's going to get easier, I promise."

"Once we beat Serrator, right?"

"Yeah," Serena nodded her head. She stroked her sister's back gently. "We'll stop that Nighlok that hurt you, and then you'll come back in full form, and with your help, we'll stop Serrator, and we'll be unbeatable. For baby."

"You're going to help us stop Serrator?" Emily asked. Serena pulled away and reached into her pocket. She pulled out the yellow Samuraizer and handed it back to Emily. The youngest sister looked up in horror, "You're giving up?"

"No," Serena shook her head and put the Samuraizer in Emily's hand, "You're going to need this. I can't really pull off yellow. White's more my colour."

Emily managed a smile and gripped the Samuraizer tightly as tears dripped down her cheeks, "I… I still think we can win."

"We are going to win. That little monkey's going to pull us together, you'll see," Serena smiled, "Just like her mother always does."

Emily smiled again and leaned into her sister, "You think?"

"Of course," Serena nodded. "She'll give us that push we need to get it together. We'll stop Serrator, we'll seal Xandred away for good, and we'll make this world a better place for the next baby. Little monkey's little brother or sister. She'll be looking down on us, on her little sibling, and she'll be happy knowing she helped make the world a better place for little monkey II. After all, if she's anything like her aunt, that's all she really wants."

Serena gave Emily another kiss on the top of the head and then gently laid her down, "Get some rest, if you can. Do you want anything for your stomach? Is it still hurting?"

Emily shook her head, "I know what I wanted to name the baby."

"What?" Serena asked as she took a seat beside the bed.

"Well, it was just the middle name. I figured Mike should have a say on the first name."

"What were you thinking?"

"If the baby was a boy, I wanted to name him James," Emily managed as smile as she looked to her sister. "He helped me a lot with this… short pregnancy."

"He really did," Serena nodded and returned the smile. "I picked a good one this time, huh?"

"Better than the last," Emily chuckled. She rolled over to her side and looked straight at her sister, "Want to know what I would have named her if she was a girl?"

"What?"

"Mia."

The smile fell from Serena's face and it was obvious she didn't know what to say. She couldn't argue the name. Her sister had just lost her unborn child. The name the baby would have _if_ it had been a girl really wasn't something to fight over, but it was still unexpected, and if Serena was allowed to feel this pain while her sister grieved over the loss of her child she was hurt.

"M… Mia?"

"She's been there for me right from the start," Emily nodded her head. "She was like a sister to me, you know."

"Well, yeah, but, Em…"

"Is something wrong?" Emily asked. Serena bit her lip nervously. There was really no complaining at this point.

"Uh… well…"

Emily giggled, "Relax, Serena. Of course I would have middle named her after you. Mia's going to have to wait for a second daughter, if she gets that lucky."

Serena took her sister's hand, "I'm so proud of you, Emily."

"We'll beat the Nighlok. All of them, right?"

"I promise."

"For Serena James?"

Serena nodded her head, "Yeah, Em. For Serena James."


	3. Justice

Eventually, Mike did calm down. His anger subsided and he no longer felt like launching furniture around the room or at people. He was still angry, but he was in control again.

So he went to his wife's room and found her asleep in their bed, with Serena by her side. Hearing the door had been opened Serena turned around and saw Mike had finally come. She got up from her seat and offered it to Mike.

"The antidote's helping," she said. "She's just resting now."

"How is she?"

Serena bit her lip, "Mike…"

"The baby's dead, isn't it?"

"The doctor recovered the sac," Serena nodded, "If you want, you can go ask him to see the baby…"

"No."

"It might help, if you see it's gone…"

"I never saw it was there," Mike shook his head and sat down. "Emily wasn't showing."

"I promised her we'd bury the baby," Serena wrapped her arms around Mike's shoulders from behind and gave him a loving squeeze, "You'll be there for that, right?"

"Of course."

She gave him a kiss on the cheek and then started to walk out of the room, leaving Mike and Emily alone. As she closed the door, Mike gave Emily's hand a gentle squeeze and the yellow Ranger slowly woke up. She saw Mike and smiled brightly. She sat up and shifted over in the bed, inviting him to sit with her.

"How are you?"

"No better than you, I guess," Mike muttered. "I heard it happened."

"The baby was tiny," Emily nodded. "The doctor showed her to me."

"I can't see her," Mike shook his head and sighed. Emily nestled into his arms.

"I'm really sorry."

Mike looked down at her, wide-eyed. She had nothing to apologize for. He knew she had been the one carrying the baby, and he knew her well enough to expect her to feel some guilt over what had happened, but he didn't want her to blame herself for _his_ loss. She had been carrying his child, but he didn't blame her at all for what had happened. She had done everything he had asked of her. She had stayed home, within the safety of the shield. She had given up her place on the team to minimize the risk of anything happening to her or the baby. With the exception of the half-tub of ice-cream she had enjoyed, she had even started eating healthier, at his request. This was not her fault. He didn't want her to feel like she had lost his child.

"It's Serrator's fault."

"If I hadn't of gone outside…"

"You had no idea," Mike wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head, "No one had any idea. The Nighlok ran away. We thought he was in the Netherworld. We never thought they would come here. We never imagined they had a way of getting through the shields. Don't blame yourself for this. You did nothing wrong. _We _did nothing wrong."

"The Nighlok's not getting away with this."

"No, he's not," Mike agreed. "You'll have to stay here until we defeat him, but I promise you, he'll be defeated."

"And then I'll help you guys stop Serrator," Emily smiled and looked up at Mike, "I can be the yellow Ranger now. Serena gave me my Samuraizer back."

Mike chuckled and nodded his head. He wasn't too keen on the idea of Emily going back into battle, but he knew she could take care of herself. He knew she was strong enough to hold her own, and to make the team stronger as well. He knew they needed her, especially when they were going to fight Serrator. If he knew anything about the team's dynamic, then he knew everyone was going to be pissed off with Serrator for what he had just done, as well as everything before that. They would hate him for the pain he had caused Mike and Emily. Mike would want him dead, and was now level-headed enough to know there was a smart way to go about destroying him.

And Emily was pissed off. If anyone managed to piss off Emily – they were in for hell. Not only that, but Emily was also now a mother, and Serrator had killed her baby. If Emily's maternal instincts were anything like Mia's or Serena's, Serrator had no idea what he had just unleashed upon himself.

"You're going to be great," Mike leaned down and gave her a kiss. Emily smiled brightly.

"I… I hope you don't mind. I kind of… sorta… named the baby."

"You named her?"

"Him or her," Emily nodded. "I had ideas for middle names. I was going to talk to you about them when we were further along."

"Let me guess, Serena?"

"Obviously," Emily chuckled, "Serena for a girl, or James, for a boy. It kind of spawned the name Serena James… because we don't know what we were going to have. If you want to name the baby something else…"

"Serena James is fine," Mike nodded. "As long as the baby gets my last name."

Emily nodded her head, "What other name would she get?"

"Yours," Mike smirked. "You haven't changed your last name yet."

"I'll get to it, I promise," Emily giggled. "I'm a little busy right now, though. Saving the world is kind of a big deal."

"Just get it done," Mike teased her, nudging her gently just as the Gap Sensor went off. Mike and Emily both looked up at the alarm in the room and were very hopeful it was the Nighlok. The door slid open, revealing Jayden.

"Pest control."

"It's him?" Mike asked and jumped out of bed. Jayden nodded and stepped aside so Mike could run by. The green Ranger was more than ready to defeat the monster, and Jayden didn't want to be the one to get in his way. Just before Jayden left, following in Mike's trail, he gave Emily a smile.

"We'll kick his ass, I promise."

"Mike has to beat him," Emily said. "Whatever you do, it has to be Mike."

"That's the plan."

Emily smiled and watched as Jayden rushed out, following his teammates into battle. She turned to the drip feeding her the antidote to fight against the Nighlok's spell. Her stomach was still hurting her, but it was nowhere near as bad as it had been before. She no longer felt the need to curl up into a little ball and cry out in pain. Now, the stomach pain could be labeled as an upset stomach. So she took the IV with her, fortunate the doctor had given her the mobile stand, and she walked with it down to the common room. James and Mako were sitting by the map, and the TV was turned on to the news. They were going to watch the fight.

"Where's Ji?" Emily asked, announcing her presence.

"He's with Kate," James told her, tapping the cushion of her stool after pulling it closer to him.

"Oh… yeah," Emily sighed. She was ashamed to admit she had forgotten all about her aunt. Kate was still in her coma after trying to protect Emily and the baby from Dayu. Little did she know, in the end, her sacrifice for the baby meant nothing. Emily lowered her head and looked down at her hands, "Is Kate…"

"Much better."

Emily's head shot up and she turned to the doorway. With some support from Ji, Kate was standing, up on her feet, and there was a smile on her face. She was awake. Kate was wide awake.

"I went to check up on her," Ji said. The smile on his face was huge, and it was obvious to everyone just how happy he was that Kate was alive and well. "She was awake when I walked in."

"I've got a bit of a headache, still," Kate said as Ji walked her over to the couch and helped her down. "But the doctor said I should be fine."

"Hard-headed family, that's for sure," James muttered and looked back to the map, "If my head went through a wall, a headache would be last on my very long list of complaints, aches, and pains."

"Because you're a wimp," Mako smirked. James threw his hands up in the air and groaned.

"Seriously, you're starting that again? You know I defeated Jayden's Nighlok clone by myself once, right?"

"I could destroy a thousand of Jayden's Nighlok clones," Mako teased, "and I'm just a little old lady."

Emily got up from her stool and slowly walked over to her aunt. Kate looked to the IV and saw it was connected to Emily's hand, "What happened? Are you okay?"

Emily sat down beside her aunt and nestled into her arms, "The baby died."

"What?" Kate hugged her niece tightly, "How did that happen?"

"You see the ugly monster on TV?"

"Yeah. Did he…?"

"Mike's going to kill him. Watch," Emily turned her attention to the TV, "Then, we're going to kill Serrator."


	4. A Line of Misery

While his teammates took care of the Moogers, Mike set upon the Nighlok in a rage. He had gotten his anger down to a level he could control when he had been at the Shiba House and with his friends, but if there had ever been a time to allow it to go crazy, this was it.

"Forest spear!" he cried, swinging his weapon across and smashing it into the Nighlok as it stumbled to get away. Mike could feel his energy slowly starting to drain but he thought about what he needed to do. Because of this Nighlok, his child was dead; a small, innocent little child who never got anything close to a chance at life. Mike could feel his heart aching as he thought about what the Nighlok had done to his family. He and Emily would one day have another kid, maybe even kids, but they would never have their first child. With all his energy, Mike focused on the Nighlok. This was going to be it, "Leaf storm!"

He watched; the most powerful attack he had ever summoned up in battle was headed straight for the worst Nighlok Mike had ever faced. The monster was frozen in place, doomed for death until suddenly someone jumped in the way.

"Return to sender!" Serrator cried as he emerged from a gap and landed before his Nighlok, sparing the life of the creature that, just the day before, he had been willing to sacrifice for Serena. Mike watched wide-eyed as Serrator was not just able to withstand the attack, but he sent it right back. Now it was Mike's turn to be frozen in place, waiting for what was sure to be a powerful attack to hit him.

"Not yet!" just like the Nighlok, Mike was spared. Jayden jumped in his way with the Fire Smasher and ripped through the attack, almost like he was slicing it in two. The attack exploded around Mike and Jayden, leaving them unharmed.

"This is just not cool!" Mike cried and stomped his feet in frustration. Jayden had to agree with him – the Nighlok had met its end fair and square. This was not Serrator's fight. However, Nighlok never played fair. Taking the Black Box from his belt, Jayden handed it over to Mike.

"Get it done," he told him. Inside his helmet, Mike smiled brightly and grabbed the Black Box from Jayden's hand. While the red Ranger and his other teammates went to distract Serrator, Mike took off after the Nighlok who was using Serrator's appearance as a distraction to get away. Mike powered up into Super Samurai and felt a new wave of energy give him strength. At a speed that was only possible in Super Samurai Mode, Mike chased after and took down the Nighlok.

"You bastard," Mike tackled the Nighlok to the ground and straddled him, keeping him down as he held his Spin Sword to the monster's neck region. "Threaten my family again. _I __**dare**__ you._"

As the Nighlok was about to plead for his life, Mike swung at his body, leaving gashes all across his front until sparks started to fly off and the Nighlok cried out in pain. Mike stood up and moved away from the Nighlok as he exploded, ending his first life.

Mike pulled out his Samuraizer, "Em…?"

"Already on my way," Emily answered, and from the sound of her voice Mike could already tell she was feeling better. They had given her an antidote to fight the effects of the Nighlok's poisonous bugs, it was just a matter of defeating the Nighlok and putting an end to his effects once and for all. "You did great, Mike!"

Mike smiled when he heard this, but he didn't get to celebrate for long as the Nighlok's second form towered over him. The Nighlok swiped at a building, taking the top half off and sending boulders of concrete and shards of glass down to where Mike, Serrator, and the Rangers were standing. Mike covered his head, despite the futility. The shards of glass couldn't penetrate the helmet, even at the speed they were falling, and the boulders would crush him whether he took cover or not. As he prayed the boulders missed him, he heard a loud roar and the wind picked up. Daring to raise his head, because he was dead either way, Mike looked up and saw all five original Zords standing over him, already engaged in a battle with the Nighlok.

"What?" he asked, looking down at the Black Box. The Zords were very much alive, and could think and act for themselves, but it was unheard of for them to engage in a battle without their Samurai nearby, or without the Black Box. Mike thought maybe he had summoned them by accident, but the Black Box was inactive for the Zords, now functioning only to power up Mike's Super Samurai Mode.

The Turtle smashed into the Nighlok, knocking him over while the Dragon showered him with a powerful blast of water. When the Nighlok could eventually get up, he was taken down again by the Lion as it clawed at his face, inflicting hurtful wounds, from what Mike could see on the ground.

Then, Mike saw a real show as the Ape and the Bear came in to finish off the Nighlok. Mike's connection with the Ape was very limited, as he only had a connection with the Ape because he had bonded with Emily and his Bear had bonded with the Ape, but he knew what the Bear was feeling. He knew the bear Zord's pain. The bear had lost his cub too.

"Take him down, Winnie!" Mike shouted as he jumped and cheered for his Zord to win and destroy once and for all the Nighlok who had killed their baby. When the Nighlok tipped over, shouted for a vengeance he would never get, and exploded into the air, Mike couldn't help but bounce excitedly up and down like a little child. The Zords powered down and dropped from the sky. Mike caught them all in his arms. He couldn't imagine the strength it had taken all of them to fight without their Samurai Master's help, and he was proud of each and every one of them. "Thanks, guys."

He tucked them away in his belt safely and then turned to the battle still at hand. His teammates were still fighting Serrator, and though they had the numbers and the determination they needed to defeat him, Serrator still had all the power. The Samurai kept getting back up while Serrator continued to knock them down, taking very little damage himself.

"I'll make sure you die too," Mike whispered, drawing his Spin Sword once more and changing into battle. With Super Samurai Mode still active, he stood a better chance against the insanely powerful monster. He managed to deliver several powerful attacks, injuring Serrator more so than the others before him, but it still wasn't enough. With his large clawed hand, Serrator swung at Mike. All the green Ranger saw before he hit the concrete and powered down was a bright purple glow.

The Black Box dropped away from his Spin Sword when it fell to the ground and rolled away from Mike. He looked up, seeing it was just out of reach. Serrator saw it as well and started to walk over to it. Just as he was about to pick it up and crush it, he was smacked in the face with a rock. He stumbled back, fell on his butt and then turned around to look at Serena.

"You…" a rock hitting him in the back of the head interrupted him, and he turned around again. The yellow Ranger rushed over to Mike's side, quickly asked him if he was okay, and then took the Black Box for herself. Now it was her turn to go Super.

Serrator smirked, "Well, look whose finally back in action."

Emily held her sword tightly as she glared at Serrator. The Nighlok had been the one to kill her baby, but the plan belonged to Serrator. Everything was because of Serrator.

She was pissed.

Serrator continued to tease her, "Earn your gold stars back, yellow Ranger? Or were you just tired of letting your big sister steal the limelight. I'll admit the progress she made while in my hands was quite impressive. I highly doubt a second born could ever achieve the same greatness as the eldest."

Emily growled. Serrator's words didn't hurt her at all. Serena was impressive, but Serrator had no idea what he was talking about. She hadn't stepped down because Serena was better. She had stepped down to raise her child. The child Serrator had no idea he had killed.

And he would never know. Emily wanted to tell him she would be getting revenge for her baby, and that his death was due to his mistake in messing with her son or daughter, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing just how much he had hurt her.

"Do it, Em," Mike sat up and gave her an encouraging nod. Her Spin Sword lit up with a yellow glow and from where he was sitting, Mike could feel her energy and it hurt him. If Emily could do this, if she could hit Serrator with everything she had, Mike was positive it would destroy him.

He made a quick mental note to never mess with any of Emily's future children. Even if he was the father, this was a maternal instinct that would kill in seconds.

Finally, after a build-up, she unleashed everything she had on Serrator. She charged at him, sword in hand and a fire in her heart. Just as she was about to make contact, someone jumped in her way and cast her aside, like all her energy meant absolutely nothing. When she hit the ground, it trembled slightly. Mike rose to his feet and raced over to check up on his wife. The other Samurai pulled themselves up to do the same except for Serena. She got to her feet and stared directly at Serrator and his saviour Dekker.

Dekker turned sharply to Serrator. He too looked to the monster with anger, "My son."

"I promised, and I will deliver," Serrator pushed Urumasa away. "You will see him soon. Just do this one little favour for me."

"Split the Earth in two?" Dekker asked. Serrator had told him of his plan to flood the Earth, and how he would allow Dekker, Dayu, and Terran to live in the two worlds he reigned if Dekker did this favour for him. Dekker agreed, because he wanted nothing more than to see his son. Just like Emily and Mike, he felt his son had been ripped away from him unfairly, and above everything else he wanted him back. He had cast Emily aside, dismissing her power with his own to spare Serrator's life because without Serrator, Dekker knew he wouldn't see his son.

Serena scoffed, hearing the conversation from where she was standing, "Like there's any chance in hell I'll let you take Terran."

"He is my son!" Dekker roared as he turned to her, pointing Urumasa at her chest. Serena was too far away to be threatened by the gesture.

"Then do what's best for him," Serena glared through her visor at Dekker. She had long ago learned not to argue with him on who Terran's father was. The biological fact was that the father was Dekker, but legally, emotionally, supportively, it was James. In all the ways that really counted, it was James. Dekker didn't see that. Dekker couldn't see that. Serena could use that against him. She could use that to keep Terran and the world safe.

Serrator took a step back and smirked. All was working well.

"I want my son," Dekker glared at Serena, "I will do anything I can to take him back."

"You're going to trust Serrator?" Serena rolled her eyes, "The monster that did this to you in the first place? Don't you remember anything about what he did? Don't you have any idea? Surely, when Dayu was telling you about Terran, she also told you about…"

"Enough!" Dekker shouted, swinging Urumasa to the side in anger. "If you won't give me my son back, I will take him! Serrator…"

"Wants to flood the Earth and destroy everything and everyone on it!" Serena cried back. "Terran included!"

"He promised…"

"What's going to hold him to his promise?" Serena shouted. "Once you give him what he asks for, once you crack the world open and let the river come pouring in, a little baby like Terran won't stand a chance! He's not part Nighlok anymore. He'll be the first to die!"

Cracks appeared in the pavement and the ground started to shake. Buildings all around the battle site started to fall apart, street lights and poles were coming down. The Earth was crumbling and the lights from the cracks were getting stronger and stronger.

Dekker clutched Urumasa tightly. He hated it, but Serena had a point. If the Earth did flood, the water would poison Terran long before he could reach him. Even if Dekker could see his son alive again, it wouldn't be for long.

"You will do this favour for me," Serrator said to Dekker as he rose up into the sky, avoiding all the damage that was being caused on Earth.

"NEVER!" Dekker cried as he turned to Serrator and threw Urumasa at him, hoping the sword would stab him, kill him, do anything to cause him pain or death. The sword missed, just barely reaching a height to touch the elevating Serrator's feet. Dekker wanted his son, but he wanted Terran alive. He would find another way of taking his boy back.

As Serrator disappeared, the Earth really began to crumble. Large chucks of concrete were falling from the sky and Dekker found himself running for cover, instead of running for his sword. Before he could find safety, he was buried under a ton of rubble, knocking him out cold.

The Rangers tried to run, but bursts of energy were coming out of the ground, knocking them right back into the middle of the chaos as more debris threatened to crush them. Just as a large piece of concrete was about to crush the six of them, they saw it hover in mid-air, encased in a very faint yellow glow.

"RUN!" Serena told them as she used her symbol power to hold up large falling pieces of concrete. She caught them before it could hit the ground and crush the Rangers and held it in the sky so the Rangers could run to safety. Fortunately, her training with Serrator had increased her strength with Symbol Power, and she was able to hold it all up long enough for the Rangers to get out safely.

Once they were safe, Serena let the Symbol Power go and she fell to her knees. She knew she was about to be crushed but there was no way she could run. Suddenly, something tightened around her waist and she looked down to see what it was. A vine had grabbed her. Before she could figure out what this meant, it pulled her away from where she had been sitting and over to the safe side of the city, next to the Rangers. Instantly, a pair of arms was wrapped tightly but gently around her neck. She took a deep breath, calmed her mind and saw it was Emily hugging her. Mike, with his Symbol Power, had saved her. The Rangers had made it out.

"Look at that," Kevin breathed in awe as he surveyed the damage still occurring to the city. "It's confined to one space."

"It's the line Serrator created," Jayden said, "Right now, it's Earth's weakest point. If Dekker does what he's asked…"

"Dekker was buried," Mike shook his head. "The man's crushed. He's dead. There's no way anyone could have survived that."

"We did," Mia pointed out.

The trembling started to subside, and all the buildings along Serrator's weak line in the Earth had come down. That part of the city was destroyed and still dangerous, but no one would be crushed by concrete rain. Antonio took a step, back into the line of misery, and climbed over some of the debris. He surveyed the scene quickly and found there was nothing he didn't expect. It was all rubble.

Except for Dekker. The half-Nighlok pushed his way through his rubble tomb and crawled out. He was barely alive, but he was alive. A little ways away was Urumasa, far from Dekker's reach. Antonio was no longer morphed, but he did still have his Barracuda Blade in hand. Quickly, the thought of killing Dekker did cross his mind.

But when Dekker collapsed and remained unmoving, Antonio shook his head. The Barracuda Blade disappeared. Killing Dekker now wouldn't be fair to anyone and Antonio doubted it would do no good anyways. Dekker had already died once and had come back. The last thing the Rangers needed was another one of their teammates with a specific target on their backs.

"You owe me," Antonio whispered and then turned his back to the scene. He returned to his friends, "I don't know about you guys, but I need a nap."

"We should all rest," Jayden nodded. "Serrator's not going to give up until someone cracks the Earth in two. We're going to have to keep a watchful eye on this place."

"Did you see Dekker?" Mia asked Antonio. The gold Ranger nodded.

"If he knows what's good for him, he won't bother us or go near Serrator again," Serena muttered and stood up with some help from Emily and Mike. "There's no way Terran's surviving the flood. There's no way I'll let him survive the flood. No one should live in a world ruled by Nighlok."

"You'd…" Emily looked up at Serena in horror.

Serena groaned, realizing what she had said, "Em, it's different. You know what I mean, I…"

"Too soon," Mia muttered as Emily took off, running for home with Mike right behind her. Mia touched Serena's arm, "We know what you meant."

"We'll keep our focus on Serrator," Jayden said, "Right now, we can't think of anything else but destroying Serrator. It'll help."

Serena nodded her head and rubbed her forehead with her hand. Serrator really had to die now.


	5. And Then What?

The Samurai stumbled but eventually made it home. By this time, their injuries from the battle were really coming through, making it harder and harder to take a step. Adrenaline worked well during and just after battles, but once it wore off and pain kicked in, the Samurai knew they were in for a long recovery.

Mako and James were by the door waiting for them. Mike and Emily had rushed home first, and had more than likely caught Ji's attention with their injuries and battle scars. Mako took Mia in her arms, supporting her on her feet while looking to Kevin and Jayden, checking to see they were also okay. James held on tightly to Serena and kept a watchful eye on Antonio.

"That battle was intense," James told the team as he and Mako helped them all to the common room. "If anything, it made for some really good TV."

"I'm glad we could entertain you," Serena grunted as she sat down on her stool. James gave her a little sympathetic smile and a kiss.

"I'll get you guys some ice. Mrs. Watanabe insists she can take care of the cuts."

"Mike and Emily made it home, right?" Mia asked as he grandmother knelt in front of her to check a gash on her head. No Samurai seemed worst off than another, so Mako was naturally drawn to taking care of Mia first. She wiped away the blood, which by now had mostly dried and was relieved to see the gash was superficial and would need nothing more than a good clean.

"Safe and sound," Mako nodded. "Hold still, princess, this will sting."

"Serrator got exactly what he wanted," Jayden said while self-examining the cuts on his legs. "The Earth is falling apart."

"More like bursting at the seams," Serena said as James came back and offered her and the boys an ice-pack. "If that line he's created gets any weaker, the Sanzu River will break through and there's going to be no way to stop it. It's no wonder her needed Emily or I. If Dekker doesn't smash the Earth to pieces, we can tear it apart."

"You won't right?" James asked. Serena shook her head.

"That's the last thing I want to do."

"His plan is risky," Ji announced as he walked into the room from the kitchen, with spare ice-packs and bandages in his arms, "If everything doesn't go exactly according to his plan, Serrator risks destroying both our world and the Netherworld."

"He could kill us all?" Antonio looked a little stunned, "Why would he risk it?"

"Why wouldn't he?" Kevin asked. "It's all or nothing for him."

"Is there any way we can turn this around?" Mia asked Ji, "Make it so his plan destroys the Netherworld and leaves Earth alone?"

"I'm afraid not."

"That sucks," Antonio crossed his arms over his chest. "I guess we've really got to fight. We've got to make sure that no matter what, Serrator doesn't go through with his plan."

"I'll die before I let him flood the Earth," Serena said, "And Serrator never got the chance to train Emily. She wouldn't have the power he needs to flood it."

"So we're literally counting on Dekker _not_ destroying the Earth," Kevin rolled his eyes and sighed, "That's just _perfect."_

"Dekker's never wanted to destroy the Earth," Serena said with a shake of her head. "Before Terran, all Dekker wanted was to have the perfect duel. He didn't care if it was on Earth or at the bottom of the Sanzu River. He just wanted to find his worthy opponent."

"Jayden," Mia looked to her leader. Jayden glanced around the room.

"That was before Terran," he said.

"Now he's kind of obsessed with getting Terran back," Kevin nodded. "Not that I blame him. If someone took my son away from me, I'd be pretty pissed too."

"Put his focus back on me," Jayden said. All eyes in the room turned to him. Antonio, most of all, was stunned.

"You want that psycho to start coming after you again?"

"Why not?" Jayden shrugged, "He wants Terran, but that doesn't mean he won't still seek the ultimate duel. Let's just push him to focus on me instead of Terran. If Serrator floods the Earth, I'll be dead and he'll never get the duel. Serrator's never promised my safety."

"Serrator's a two-faced lying ass," Serena muttered. "He'll promise Dekker the world if he thinks it'll get him further."

"Even Dekker can smell that bullshit," Jayden shook his head. "Dekker will know Serrator's lying through his teeth if he promises to keep me alive. We'll find a way to get Dekker to focus on dueling me, instead of recovering Terran…"

"What if we promise to give Terran to him if he can defeat you?" James asked. Antonio dragged his jaw along the floor as he turned his attention over to James.

"Seriously? Are none of you thinking straight?"

"It's the best plan we've got," James nodded, "We want to keep Terran safe. Dekker will more than believe us if we tell him you're the best. As long as he promises to keep Terran safe, we'll give him up to you if he can prove he's stronger than you."

"Sounds like a plan," Jayden agreed. It was the least he could do for his team – the least he could do to keep them all safe. If Serrator's plan worked and the Earth did flood, they would all be in danger. They would likely all be dead. He couldn't let that happen. They had given up so much for him.

"Are you freaking kidding me?"

"Antonio, I'll be fine," Jayden reached out and took his boyfriend's hand, "I'm not afraid of Dekker. Besides, it's what I need to do."

"Not you don't," Antonio frowned and leaned into Jayden, "What about the Sealing Symbol?" he whispered.

Jayden shook his head, "You know that's not my job."

"They don't know that. They can't sacrifice you like this. Jay…"

"Antonio, they aren't sacrificing me. I offered," Jayden whispered as he looked his boyfriend in the eye and gave his hand a gentle squeeze, "I'm doing this so we can stay alive. If we don't get Dekker focused on not destroying the Earth, we're all dead anyways."

Jayden gave Antonio a kiss on the cheek and then looked to everyone in the room, "I'll promise Dekker a duel on the condition we defeat Serrator first. Dekker won't have a problem with that because Serrator will keep interfering anyways. It'll keep the world safe, and we might earn ourselves a temporary ally if Dekker feels like we have the same enemy."

"Are you sure you want to do this, Jayden?" Serena asked. "It's a pretty risky move…"

"I know," Jayden nodded. "If Dekker rears his ugly head again, we'll get the message to him. With Terran and a duel as a promise, there's no way he'll turn it down."

Antonio clutched Jayden's hand tightly as his heart ached, "I should have killed him."

"Where is Terran, anyways?" Serena asked, turning to James, "I kind of said something stupid in front of Emily, and was hoping to have his cute as a buffer when I apologized."

"He's with Emily and Mike," James said and gestured with his head down the hall to their room, "You should go see them."

Serena got up. She kept her ice-pack on her shoulder as she walked to the bedroom. She knocked on the door gently before walking in. The first thing she saw was Mike at the desk, staring at the little box that held his dead child. On the bed, on the other side of the room, Emily was sitting with Terran, trying to read to him one of his books. Serena let them be for a moment and approached Mike. She put her hand on his shoulder.

"The box is so small," Mike whispered when he knew she was near. Serena nodded.

"Have you opened it?"

"I can't," Mike shook his head.

"Mike, what I said back there, about Terran…"

"I get it," Mike nodded. "I wouldn't want him living among Nighlok either."

Serena smiled. That had been easier than she had thought – especially for Mike. She gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze and left him alone with the baby. She walked to the foot of the bed. Terran, seeing her, immediately got up and crawled over to her. Serena picked him up and greeted him with a big smile. Then she turned to Emily.

"Serena James was my niece or nephew, you know," she said. "I'm not exactly thrilled about what happened."

"It's okay, Serena," Emily sighed. "I overreacted. It's not like you want to kill Terran."

"Never," Serena shook her head. She walked around to the side of the bed and sat down beside her sister, "How are you feeling?"

"What if we can't beat Serrator?" Emily asked. "I was so close! If Dekker hadn't jumped in the way…"

"We'll take care of Dekker. Just keep your mind on Serrator, okay, squirt?"

"And after that?"

"Xandred."

"And after that?"

"I don't know, Emily."

"Destroying Serrator isn't going to bring Serena James back, is it?"

"No, it's not," Serena shook her head, "but we've got to destroy him. He'll take so much more away from you if you let him. You've still got a lot to live for. Mike, me, Terran…"

"Kate," Emily looked up and smiled. Serena smiled back and nodded.

"Yeah. She's still fighting. I'm sure she wouldn't appreciate it if you gave up."

"Damn right, I wouldn't."

The smile slipped from Serena's face as she heard a voice from behind. She turned around slowly and saw, in the bathroom, her aunt was standing tall.

"No. Way," Terran almost slipped from Serena's arms. Fortunately, Emily was more than happy to cuddle with him as Serena jumped up from the bed and raced into her aunt's arms.

As Serena hugged her aunt, surprised to see she was awake, Mike was focused on the box sitting on the table before him. He wouldn't, couldn't look inside but he felt he had to. He had tried to convince himself that the baby hadn't been real because he hadn't seen it yet, but his heart knew the truth. As a tear dripped down his cheek, he took the box in his hands. He held it gently, barely pressing against the sides, afraid the box was as fragile as the baby inside. Slowly he lifted the lid and looked inside.

An arm gently took him by the waist as Emily came over and hugged him. Terran, with his little hands, tried to dry the tears from his uncle's cheeks. Mike stared inside the box at his dead, unborn child.

"Sorry little guy."

"She's playing with Scruffy," Emily said as she leaned into Mike. "That's what I hope. She's playing fetch with Scruffy, and she has your eyes. They're prettier than mine."

"That's all you hope for?"

"And that she doesn't get your temper. She's got two colours, neither one of them is red."

"I guess you heard that, huh?" Mike finally took his eyes off the baby and looked at Emily, "I'm sorry…"

"I wanted to throw furniture around too," Emily shrugged. "It's okay."

"A family," Mike said. Emily looked to him strangely.

"What?"

"You asked Serena what we would focus on after we defeated Xandred. A family. I want a family. I want our family. I can find a job, you can finish school, and we'll get the right house and we'll finally get a baby."

"It won't be this baby," Emily looked down at the box. Mike covered it with the lid and set it carefully on the table.

"A little brother or sister. A kid who won't have any idea what it's like to lose a loved one to war," Mike smiled and then tickled Terran's stomach, "A little cousin for the little monster to grow up with. You'd like that, wouldn't you, buddy?"

Terran nestled into Emily's chest and stuck his fingers in his mouth. Emily smiled at him, and then looked up at Mike.

"Serrator, Xandred, and then family."


	6. Grandmother's Goodbye

Mako looked to printed images of the destruction in the city. Just like the Samurai had predicted, Serrator's attack patterns formed a line. The line created by human misery, weakened the surface of the Earth, making it more vulnerable to cracking open. All Serrator needed was one force to drive the final wedge into the Earth and split it open to allow the Sanzu River to flood out and fill up the Earth. Any humans who did survive would be forced to fall to Serrator's feet and embrace him as their master. If Serrator could pull this off, he would be one of the most powerful creatures to ever walk the Netherworld or Earth.

In the meantime, the city was cracked in two. A line of ruins crossed through the city. It destroyed buildings, shops, roads, homes, parks, anything in its path. Hundreds of people were in hospital (which fortunately hadn't been touched) and a few dozen had been killed.

"Noa called."

Mako looked up from the pictures and found Ji standing in the doorway, holding up a tray with two mugs of tea. He approached the table in the common room and set the tray down. He took a seat across from Mako and offered her a warm, gentle smile, "Noa was wondering when you were coming home."

"I guess it wouldn't be smart of me to stay here forever," Mako sighed and accepted a mug of tea from Ji. "Despite the divorce, Noa did still love Simon with all her heart. His death will be difficult for her to accept. She will also need me."

"Fortunately, she does still have her daughter, and her mother," Ji nodded, "Thank you, Mako, for helping the Samurai."

"There is no need for thanks, Ji," Mako shook her head, "Serrator had my granddaughter. Nothing would have stopped me from coming out there and kicking his ass."

"I just wish I could have seen it," Ji smiled. "I promise, Mia will be in good hands once you leave."

"I'm sure she will be. This team is wonderful. I can tell they care for her and for each other very much. You've done a good job with them, Ji."

Mako set her tea down and headed to Mia and Kevin's room to say goodbye. She didn't want to leave, but she had been away from home for a long time, and she did still have a daughter to care for. Simon's death hurt many members of her family. Noa had been brave to cope for this long without any support. It was about time Mako returned to her to help her grieve, just as she had done for Mia.

When Mako was gone, Ji looked to the pictures and sighed. The destruction in the city was a true tragedy. Though Nighlok attacks always left a mess for the city to clean up, none had been this bad.

"They're so confident," Kate whispered as she walked into the room and sat down beside Ji. She nestled into his arms, seeking comfort. Serena, Mike, and Emily had just shared with her everything that had happened while she had been in her coma – from Dayu killing Mia's father, all the way up to the death of Mike and Emily's baby. It had been a lot to hear, and Kate could imagine a lot more to live through. Still, when her nieces and Mike told her the story, they seemed to end on a positive note. They were all certain things would turn back around – that they would start to win again. They had already defeated the stomach bug Nighlok, and had come close to defeating Serrator. They had a plan to keep Dekker from destroying the world. They were sure the hard times would come to an end. They were sure this was just the final bump before the big victory. Kate didn't know whether to admire this confidence and optimism, or whether she had to worry her nieces were truly struggling, and grasping at straws for a reality that didn't seem to exist. She couldn't break this confidence and optimism. No matter which was she looked at it, it was the girls' only hope, but she didn't want them to believe in a future that would likely never come true.

"They must be," Ji said. "All we have left is hope."

"Ji, that's not a good thing."

"It's something. We still have something," Ji wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head, "You had me worried, Kate. I was starting to believe you would never wake up."

"It takes more than a psychotic home wrecker to keep me down."

Ji shifted her into his arms and lifted her up, "You should rest."

Kate whined as he carried her to their room, "Ji, seriously? I've been in a coma for how long? Don't you think I've rested enough?"

"You don't want to push yourself too hard too fast. You are still recovering," Ji set her down in the bed and gave her a smile, "We wouldn't want anything to happen to you again, would we?"

"I'm fine, Ji. You were there when the doctor checked me out."

"I was also there when he told you to take it easy," Ji lay down beside her. "It is late. We should be in bed anyways."

"You worry way too much."

"Only because…" Ji choked over his own words. He wanted to tell her he loved her, but he got scared. He wondered if she felt the same way he did. He wondered what would happen if she didn't. He hadn't been one for romance, having put his Samurai first since before he could remember, but he knew what would happen if he found himself a step ahead in the relationship. Things between him and Kate would get very awkward, and through that awkwardness, it was possible he could lose her. He couldn't do that; he couldn't risk losing her again. He had just gotten her back.

"Because…?" Kate asking, prompting him to say it. Ji shook his head and gave her a kiss.

"Only because I care about you. Have a good night, Kate."

Ji rolled over and closed his eyes to sleep. Kate sighed and leaned into her pillow.

"I care about you too, Ji."

-Samurai-

Mako knocked on the bedroom door, asking permission to enter the room. Hearing Kevin invite her in, she opened the door and saw a sight she hadn't seen in decades: a young, handsome man standing before her in nothing but his boxers.

"Mrs. Watanabe!" Kevin cried and quickly grabbed a pillow to cover himself up, "I… I thought you were one of the guys. I swear, I was going to put on more clothes before I got into bed with Mia. I… I…"

"Sobo?" Mia stepped out of the bathroom, saw the scene, and chuckled. Kevin was completely embarrassed and was fumbling as he tried to put his pyjama pants on. Mako seemed very… not at all uncomfortable. Though it was hard for her to admit on some days, her granddaughter was a woman now, and was able to make her own choices, especially when it came to the men in her life. Kevin, Mako had learned, was especially good to and good for Mia. She knew he had the utmost respect for her and would never do anything that would make Mako disapprove of him.

He was also in great shape. Mako wouldn't lie about that. Not many men her age had such a nice body. It was a rare sight to see.

"Socks? Kevin, seriously?" Mia laughed when she saw him slipping on a pair of socks. He very rarely wore socks to bed, especially outside the winter season. The weather was getting colder out, but not enough to justify Kevin changing his pyjama routine.

"I'm… chilly?" Kevin shrugged. He tied the strings to the waistband of his pants tightly.

Mako shook her head, "Chilly isn't the word _I_ would use."

Now Kevin was very uncomfortable. It only seemed to make Mako enjoy this situation even more. He grabbed a sweater (again, he didn't normally wear sweaters to bed) and rushed to hide in the bathroom.

"I'll just give you two some privacy," he closed the door and locked it. Mia looked to her grandmother and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Did you really have to do that?"

"Yes," Mako grinned. She took a seat on the bed and invited Mia to sit beside her, "Princess, I think it's time I head home."

"Now?" Mia didn't seem to like the idea, naturally. She enjoyed having her grandmother around, and it was a comfort knowing she had her Sobo in case her Samurai life started to overwhelm her, or even in case her father's absence started to become too much. But Mako nodded her head. She took Mia's hand in hers.

"Your mother called the house. You know just as well as I do that your father's death hurts her too. She did a good thing, letting me come to you first. I think it's time you let me help her now," Mako kissed the side of her face; "I trust you will be in good hands. You have a great family here. Continue to take care of them, and they will take care of you."

"I guess you've stayed too long," Mia sighed. She pulled her grandmother in for a hug, "I'll see you soon though, right?"

"Stick to the plan, and you'll be seeing me before you know it," Mako nodded. She pulled away and took Mia's face in her hands gently, "Keep making me proud, princess."

"I will. I promise."

"Good," Mako smiled and got up. She pointed to the bathroom, where Kevin was hiding, "And I trust that man. If you ever need someone to talk to about your father, if you ever feel like this is all too much for you, talk to him. Before you do anything, talk to him."

"I promise. I won't do anything like _that_ again. I won't think of it."

"You do, and I'll bring you back from the dead so I can kill you myself," Sobo threatened Mia with a glare for just a moment, before pulling her back into her arms and giving her a tight hug. Despite her outward confidence that Mia would be okay and would come home, inside Mako was terrified. She had seen first-hand the troubles the Samurai were facing. In a matter of weeks, two people were dead. Danger was escalating, and in every battle fought, now more than ever, there was a high risk one of the Samurai died. The thought of losing Mia, the thought of this being the last time she ever saw her granddaughter ripped her heart to pieces. She did all she could to hold in the tears. Mia didn't need to share her worry.

"I love you, Mia. I love you more than you will ever imagine."

"I love you too, Sobo," Mia gave her grandmother a loving squeeze. "I'll be okay."

"I know you will be. Good night, princess."

Mako let go of Mia and walked, practically ran out of the room. She scribbled down a note for the other Rangers, finding she couldn't leave them without some sort of goodbye. As soon as the note was done, Mako rushed to the front door. If she didn't leave now, she never would. She found her keys and picked them up. She raced to her car, turned it on and sped out the driveway. Because of Serrator's latest attack, she would need to leave the city if she wanted to get home. He had destroyed all the roads within the city that connected the Shiba House to her house.

But Mako didn't worry about which path to take, or how long it would take her. She saw the Shiba House and the gates disappear in her rear-view mirror. When it was gone, completely out of sight, she pulled over, stopped the car and cried.


	7. Yellow Steps Up

Antonio didn't get much sleep that night. Maybe he had dozed off once or twice, but he had seen every hour on the clock as he spent a huge portion of the night staring up at the ceiling.

Jayden's sacrifice was noble. He was willing to risk his life to fight in a duel to protect Terran and the world. Dekker was powerful and he was fierce. He wanted his son back and would do anything to get him back. Already his thirst for the ultimate duel gave him strength, but knowing his son was on the line could be the push he needed to get the edge on Jayden and kill him. Antonio had faith his boyfriend was strong enough to stand up to Dekker, but he was worried it would be the last thing Jayden ever did.

"Antonio, are you okay?" Jayden's voice snapped him from his thoughts and brought him back to the bedroom, where he saw Jayden was standing over him worriedly. "What's so interesting about the ceiling?"

Antonio sat up in the bed and looked out the window. It was morning. "This duel with Dekker…"

"It needs to be done," Jayden said. "We need to make the promise. Once we destroy Serrator and the Earth heals, I don't have to fight him."

Antonio looked to Jayden curiously. That was the plan. Jayden would make Dekker think he would honour his promise for a duel just so Dekker would do as they asked – and not rip the world apart. They wouldn't dream of handing Terran over even if Dekker proved to be the most powerful being in existence and swore to keep him safe. They were using him. They were manipulating him.

"Isn't that what the Nighlok do? They make promises they don't intend on keeping."

Jayden, who had been getting dressed for the morning training session paused for a moment and then shrugged, "Desperate times call for desperate measures, Antonio. We need to do all we can to ensure the safety and well-being of our world."

"Dekker just wants his son," Antonio shrugged. "Is he really that bad?"

"Antonio, are you listening to yourself? This is Dekker we're talking about," Jayden walked over to the bed and gave Antonio a kiss on the cheek, "Get some sleep. You're exhausted. And don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I promised Dekker he would get a chance to fight me. I'll never promise alone. If it does come down to it, you guys can help."

"Deception. Just like the Nighlok," Antonio said, "That's exactly how Dayu killed Mia's father."

"Sleep," Jayden insisted and he tucked Antonio into bed. "I love you. I'll see you once you've gotten some rest."

Jayden walked out of the room, leaving Antonio to lie in bed for the morning. He didn't like what he was doing. He didn't like the risks; he didn't like how deceptive he was being. But if it meant keeping the world and his friends safe he would do it.

He made his way to the dojo. Expectantly, he was one of the first ones awake. When there was training in the morning, he liked to get there early. He liked being warmed up by the time the others walked in, and he liked having everything set up for them. The door to the dojo was closed, but Jayden knew there was one other person up – perfect for warming up with a partner. He heard the grunts cries and knew it was Emily. He figured she would also have a hard time sleeping. He slid the door open just enough for him to slip in and then closed it again. When he turned around he saw Emily straddling one of the dummies whose face she had covered with Serrator's mask. She was beating into the armoured dummy angrily. At first Jayden saw it as a way for her to grieve. She couldn't yet destroy the real Serrator and so needed to settle for a dummy. But then he saw something that troubled him. Her training sword, which had been discarded, had snapped in half, leaving Emily to use only her bloodied fists to beat into the dummy. Jayden rushed over to Emily, grabbed her around the waist and lifted her up.

"Em, calm down. You're going to hurt yourself!"

Emily kicked her legs out, trying to get Jayden to set her back down, "He killed her! Put me down! He killed her!"

"Save it for the real Serrator, Emily," Jayden told her, and did his best to keep her feet off the ground. He could hold her back with ease if she couldn't touch the ground. If he set her down, she would squirm and wiggle her way back to the dummy. "It's okay."

"It's not okay! I had her! Fair and square, I had a baby. He killed her! Let me go!" Emily fought against Jayden's hold around her waist. She punched at his arms, "Put me down!"

"Just calm down a bit, Emily!"

"Don't tell me to calm down! He killed my baby!" Emily screamed. "Let me go!"

Jayden began to wonder who could hold out the longest. Emily wasn't very heavy, so he had no trouble holding her up, but Emily didn't seem at all close to giving up. This was a battle of wills.

Until Emily cheated and scratched savagely at Jayden's arms, tearing at them with her insanely sharp nails.

"OW! Emily!" he put her down to have a look at his arm. Fortunately, she hadn't torn through the skin. However, she wasn't done yet. When Jayden set her down, Emily switched targets to something more alive. Instead of going back to the Serrator dummy, she attacked him. Jayden had always been just a bit better than her at hand to hand combat and was able to hold his own. Her anger made her strong, but she didn't think her attacks through. Jayden easily blocked, grabbed her again and dropped her on the ground. Then he straddled her to keep her down and grabbed her wrists.

"Emily, I'll say it one more time," he told her sternly, "Calm down. Talk to me."

"He killed her."

"I know," Jayden nodded. "I'm sad too. We're going to defeat him, though."

"It won't bring her back," Emily shook her head; "I had her, Jay. I had her in my arms!"

"You had a dream about her?" Jayden asked. Emily's chin quivered as she nodded her head.

"I had a dream… I gave birth to her. To a girl. She… she was beautiful, Jay. She had Mike's eyes. Then Serrator… Serrator took her. He killed her."

"I still get those dreams, Emily," Jayden told her, "I dream I have my dad back – my whole family back. We're always happy until Xandred shows up and I'm alone again. But they're just dreams."

"They're real! He _killed_ her!"

"You're not alone," Jayden pulled her up into his arms and hugged her tight, "It's going to be okay, I promise."

"You swear?"

"Of course, Emily. Serrator's never getting his way again. Next time he shows up, we'll kick his ass. You'll kick his ass. I promise."

"Pinky promise?"

Jayden got to his feet and then pulled Emily up, "I'll do you one better," he took her by the hand and walked her to the bookshelf in the common room. There, he reached for the Black Box and all the disks that went with it.

"You beat him," Jayden told her, and then he handed her the last disk in his hands: the Shogun Disc. Emily looked to the disk.

"But you usually hog this."

Jayden chuckled, "Not this time. I hate Serrator and everything he's done, but it wouldn't be right for me to take the lead this time."

"Take the lead?" Emily gasped and nearly dropped all the disks, "Me? But I'm like… I'm last! The only time I would ever lead a team was if everyone else… died!"

"We're not dead, and I trust you," Jayden put his hands on her shoulders and looked right at her, "I've giving you this opportunity, Em. Don't screw it up. Vengeance won't kill a Nighlok."

"I'm in charge? Really?"

"Just this once," Jayden nodded. "Just until Serrator's defeated. Then I have to take my place back."

"And I get to use all these?" Emily gestured to the disks in her hand, "The Black Box? The Shark Disk? The Shogun Disk? All of it?"

"All of it," Jayden nodded. "And you might need all of it to… Emily, what are you doing?"

Jayden watched as Emily walked around the table, setting the disks down.

"I'm not going to be like you and hog them all."

"I don't hog…"

"Yeah, you do," Emily nodded her head, "We used to try making bets on who would get to power up in the next battle, but Antonio always won because we used to vote for ourselves and he would vote for you. Eventually, we gave up."

"That's where all that money came from," Jayden muttered. He watched Emily set the Black Box down by her spot at the table, and then she stared at the Shark Disk.

"Mike got to kill a Nighlok already. It would be fair to give Serena a shot, right? The baby was her niece or nephew. I'd want to kill whoever hurt Terran."

"This is why I don't share them," Jayden crossed his arms over his chest.

"You know, Serena doesn't have a Zord. Mike's got two. He can take Shark Mega Mode and kick Serrator's second life ass. Serena can get a shot and kick his first ass. I'll take Super Mode, because I like the jacket and I'm in charge. Serrator won't know what hit him."

"No one will," Jayden chuckled.


	8. Waiting For Dekker

Mia wasn't used to the mask, but it was easier to wear than a full Ranger suit. Serrator's wedges of misery left a large line of ruin in the city. Buildings, homes, shops had all come tumbling down, roads were blocked, street signs were knocked over and buried; whatever was left had been turned to mountains of rubble. Since the attack, rescue teams had searched and pulled out several unfortunate people who hadn't managed to escape on time. Some were found alive, many more were found dead.

The Samurai couldn't appear in public. Though they had stopped worse from happening, the city had turned against them once for less. If the Rangers weren't swarmed by civilians who hated them, they would be surrounded by scared people, desperate for the Rangers to do something they couldn't do just yet. To keep that from happening, to ensure the Samurai could work in peace, they kept their Samuraizers tucked in their back pockets and went to do their digging in their training uniforms, with a mask to cover up their faces. If people did see them and if something came up that forced them to morph, their secret was still safe.

"This is where I found Dekker," Antonio stood over the spot where Dekker had laid. He took had been weakened by Serrator's plan and almost killed. Antonio had also gotten the chance to end Dekker's miserable life once and for all, but he hadn't taken it. The risk was too high. Mike had killed Dekker before and he had come back. Not only that, but between his death and his return, Mike had angered Dayu, and she had gotten her revenge by going after Emily. Mike killed the one she loved, so she would return the favour. Fortunately, Emily had survived.

Antonio couldn't risk the murder being for nothing. He couldn't risk killing Dekker, only for something to save his soul once again. He couldn't risk angering Dayu. He couldn't risk the consequences of foiling Serrator's plan – not like this. Taking the chance that there would be another time, and another way, Antonio had let him escape.

Dekker owed him a huge favour, and Antonio was hoping he knew it. He was regretting his decision not to kill Dekker now. To keep Terran safe and to keep the world safe, Jayden was going to offer himself to Dekker. He was going to put his life in danger, more than necessary. Jayden was strong, but so was Dekker. Antonio couldn't risk losing Jayden, not when he could have done something to protect him.

"Well, he's gone," Mike shrugged his shoulders, stating the obvious. Dekker's body was no longer lying in the rubble, and it meant one of three things: he had died and the city had recovered his body, or he had recovered and was somewhere in the city, or he was back with the Nighlok. None of those possibilities were great outcomes. The best was probably if Dekker died – but that meant Serrator would be on the hunt for Serena. She was his back-up plan.

Emily reached out and took her sister's hand.

"I'm sure they'll be back," Serena said, squeezing Emily's hand before letting go, "We're going to have to stay here, keep an eye on this place. Serrator seemed pretty excited about making the crack here."

"This is right in the middle," Mia nodded her head, "He makes an opening here and boom, we're all swimming. Wherever Dekker is, he'll turn up here. We'll just have to hope he turns up here before Serrator does."

"I can stay," Jayden looked around at his teammates. "The deal will sound better coming from my mouth. Dekker has no reason to believe any of you would offer me up."

"Mia, can you stay with him?" Emily asked. Mia was quick to nod her head. Jayden crossed his arms over his chest.

"You think I need a babysitter?"

"Yes. If Dekker comes and you're alone, what's going to stop him from dueling you here and now? Mia's staying with you."

"Why Mia?" Antonio asked. A part of him knew he wasn't the best choice to stay with Jayden to make a deal with Dekker. He couldn't even pretend to sell out his boyfriend. He'd get overprotective, he would do something stupid, he would ruin the whole deal, but he wanted to be the one to stay. He wanted to protect Jayden.

Emily said that exactly, that Antonio was obviously too worried and she wasn't going to ask him to sit through the deal. She also stated Kevin was too serious, and Dekker knew he would never give up his Samurai leader. Emily also didn't want Serena or Mike to stay behind, in case Serrator showed up. Serrator would do anything to get his hands on Serena if Dekker was dead, and though Mike had promised Emily could be the one to kill Serrator, she wasn't sure he would hold back if he saw him and she wasn't around. She wasn't sure Mike would let him walk away, and that was dangerous for Mike. Serrator was too powerful to take on without the team's support.

Emily didn't want to stay behind either for those exact reasons. She wanted Serrator dead.

"Mia's perfect."

"And if Dayu turns up?" Kevin asked.

"Dayu should know better than to show her face," Mia growled. "She knows exactly what she did."

"Mia promise me you won't do something stupid," Emily looked up at Mia with her cookie face. She knew Mia couldn't resist it. "We'll get Dayu back later, I promise. I pinky promise."

Mia groaned. All she could see were Emily's eyes, but it was more than enough. She nodded her head, laced pinkies with Emily, and then glared at Jayden, "Yeah, good move, Jay. Put the cute one in charge."

"Hey, I'm not happy with the babysitting thing either," Jayden shook his head, "Things could get messy. Dekker's… unstable."

"They all are."

"You two stay here," Emily said, "Keep your Samuraizers on. We're going to go looking around a little more – see if we can find something useful, and then we're going to head home and… think of something useful to do there."

The Samurai continued on their way, climbing over cement blocks and rubble, leaving Mia and Jayden to sit and wait for Dekker or Serrator to hopefully return soon – preferably Dekker would show up first. Mia pulled out her Samuraizer and started fiddling with it. Jayden looked to her.

"Everything still okay?"

"Yeah," Mia nodded, "I just want to get this over with. All of it. I don't know what Terry and my step-mother know yet but I want to help them through this."

"Step-mother?" Jayden asked. He knew Mia's father had been engaged to Terry's mother before he died, but they had never gotten married. Though her father's fiancée was her brother's mother, no one expected Mia to call her her step-mother until after the wedding, and after they had met.

"Might as well," Mia shrugged her shoulders, "Dad loved her. She's all Terry has left now. Well, until we defeat the Nighlok and I can be there for him."

"I'm sure his mother's taking care of him," Jayden said. "What about you? Have you had any… you know, thoughts?"

Mia sighed, "Plenty. I have no intention of following through with them, though. Kevin gets me to talk before we go to bed. It helps. It also helps that the baby died."

"What?" Jayden looked a little stunned to hear this. Mia was the last person he expected to be happy over the death of Mike and Emily's baby, aside from Mike, Emily, and Serena, of course.

"Emily and Mike are going through something," Mia sighed. "I know it's really mean but… now I'm not alone. And now I can take care of them."

"You need to take care of yourself too. Mike and Emily will be fine."

"I am. Kevin is. I'm fine too, Jay. This is how I work. I like taking care of other people. I like being needed. This works for me."

"If you're sure."

"I am."

Jayden looked down at his hands, "I hope Dekker shows up soon."

"He will," Mia nodded, "And if he doesn't it means he made the right decision on his own. We won't need to make a deal with him."

"It'll also mean Serrator's going after Serena."

"Serrator killed her niece or nephew," Mia smirked. "I know Emily gets the kill, but would you really want to be Serrator in a fight against Serena right now?"

Jayden chuckled and shook his head, "Definitely not."

"Things are turning around for us," Mia said, "I can feel it."


	9. The Gifts

The Samurai returned home empty-handed, with only Jayden and Mia still out in the city, on the lookout for Dekker. The others had searched the ruins, hoping maybe they could find something interesting. At the same time, Serena, Mike, and Emily had done what they could to strengthen the Earth. It was still nowhere near strong enough to withstand Serrator's plan, but it would now take a little more energy than he had planned to split it open, which was always a good thing. The more they could put in Serrator's way, the better off they would be.

When they got home, Ji, Kate, and James were hard at work doing what they did best. Ji was reading through books, trying to gather as much information about Serrator as he could while also watering his bonsai. Kate was on her laptop, finally replying to the hundreds of emails she had received from Mike's and Emily's parents while she had been in a coma. Last she had told them, Mike and Emily were pregnant. Now, she had to deliver the news that the baby was gone, which she knew wasn't going to be easy. Though the grandparents too be hadn't been thrilled about the baby, they sure as hell weren't going to be happy with the news that their grandchild had been killed. Kate seemed rather frustrated as she tried to write the perfect letter to comfort both sides of the family, while explaining everyone was doing well now, and Mike and Emily were being well looked after at this time. It wasn't easy.

James and Terran were playing a game with Storm. The little boy and the dog were running around the common room. Terran was giggling (which seemed to frustrate Kate even more as she tried to concentrate), and Storm was barking, gently nipping at Terran's butt to drag him back to the toys. James, obviously, was watching very closely but liked how Storm was keeping her eyes on Terran for him. There was nowhere the little boy could go without eventually being pulled back to his mat and toys by the dog. Terran loved the game, Storm loved the chase, and James loved the free babysitter.

"Find anything?" James asked when he saw most of the Samurai were home.

"We did what we could. There was nothing to find, though," Serena shook her head and sighed.

"Jayden and Mia are going to wait for Dekker to show up," Emily explained and pulled off her mask. "We've got to make sure we're ready for when they come back."

"I'll get the dojo set up," Kevin nodded as he headed for the dojo. Antonio followed. He needed something to take his mind off the deal Jayden was going to make with Dekker. He hated it. He hated it with every fibre of his body.

"I need a snack," Mike announced as he headed to the kitchen, rubbing his stomach. Using his Symbol Power made him hungry, and he knew there was leftover pizza in the fridge. He wanted to get to it before anyone else dared.

"Emily, there are packages for you on your bed," Ji told her. Emily thanked him and then headed to her room, curious about the package. No one should have been sending her anything. All her friends were here, and if her parents had needed to ship her something from home, they would have done so a long time ago. But when she reached the bed, she saw two packages. One from her parents, another from Mike's. They were both addressed to her and Mike.

"That's weird," Emily furrowed her brow as she opened the package her parents had sent. She figured Mike could open the one from his parents later. When she got the flaps up, she dug through the packing peanuts and pulled out a book. At first she groaned. Her parents knew how much she hated reading. Her dislike for it stemmed from the difficulty she had due to her dyslexia, and the fact that her classmates spent years mocking her reading: how slow she was, how she struggled with the simplest of words, how she struggled to understand what the text was about. Her parents sending her a book, no less one that looked to be more technical than fictional, based on the cover, was a horrible gift. Then she made out the title: "Teen pregnancy? Coping with the changes of pregnancy for the young mothers?"

She sighed and dropped the book on the bed. It was too little too late for that. She wasn't pregnant anymore, and didn't plan on becoming pregnant again until she was ready for it; preferably once she and Mike had a job and enough income to support a baby.

She turned her attention back to the box. It was a little big for just a book. She didn't want to be greedy – especially if this was a package of baby things - but there had to be more inside. She dug around through the peanuts again and her hand touched something soft. She pulled it out. Instantly tears welled up in her eyes.

It was her baby blanket: from when she had been a little girl. She had no idea her parents had kept it all these years. She draped it over her shoulder and rubbed it against her cheek for a moment. It was strange, but it still smelt like childhood.

Then she looked at the box again. A book and a blanket. The box was still too big for just that. There had to be more inside. She didn't want to look, but curiosity got the better of her. She reached her hand inside again. This time, she felt something fluffy. She pulled it out of the box and then dropped it in a panic. She took a step back, away from the box, and she stared at it, unsure of what to do with it now. Along with the book and her old blanket, her parents had sent her a new soft toy – a monkey, and loosely sewn on the bear's hand was another blanket. It was obvious these were gifts for the baby – for baby Serena James.

Emily turned to the other box. It was from Mike's parents, but she could assume the contents inside were similar. Her vision blurred by her tears didn't slow her down as she ripped the box opened and dumped it out. A book, one of Mike's old stuffed bears and a new teddy bear – a green one – fell out.

"Em, wanna kick Serrator's ass with me again?" Mike called from down the hallway as he came to get her for training. "We can practice double-teaming him. Obviously I'll let you get the kill, but I kind of want to give him a bit of a beating… too… Em?"

Mike stepped into the room and saw two boxes and packing peanuts everywhere on the floor. Then a book was thrown across the room, into the wall, followed shortly by another and then a teddy bear. Mike, like Emily, didn't like books so he didn't bother picking them up, but he grabbed the teddy bear and gently stroked its head.

"Em, this guy's pretty cute," he looked to her, seeing her sitting on the bed. She had a stuffed monkey and his old Teddy Bear in her lap. "Mr. Tickles!" he snatched the bear from her and hugged it tight. Then he caught the look she gave him. He cleared his throat, "Uh, I mean…"

"Your parents sent him," Emily muttered, "And they sent that bear and that book, and mine sent the other book, this stupid monkey, my blanket, and a new blanket for baby."

"Why?"

"We're pregnant, remember?"

"No we're not. We… They don't know," Mike's face fell as he took a seat beside Emily. "We should probably tell them."

"Kate promised she would," Emily shrugged. "I'm sure they'll figure it out soon."

"Are you okay?" he wrapped his arm around her.

"I don't know. They're for Serena James, but she's dead. I mean… it's…"

"Go train. I'll take care of this stuff," he gave her a kiss on the side of the head and took the monkey and the bear from her lap. "I won't throw it out. I'll put it to good use."

"How?"

"You let me figure that out, okay? Now go, make sure you're strong enough to kick Serrator's ass. We don't want to miss our next chance."

"You really think I can do it, huh?" Emily asked with a smile. Mike nodded his head.

"Of course. If anyone can, it's you. Now go kick his wooden ass. Make him sorry he ever messed with the Samurai family. Make him sorry he ever messed with our kid."

"The wooden Serrator or the real one?"

"Both," Mike chuckled and rubbed his arm, "Wooden Serrator handed me my ass this morning."

Emily turned to the hallway and glared, "He's going to pay."

Mike watched her go with a smile, and then he looked down at the toys and blankets on the bed. He couldn't let these go. Finally, he had something of Serena James he could hold. He had a part of his child here with him.

He took Emily's blanket and wrapped the monkey up. He set the monkey, now protected by the blanket, by Emily's pillow. Then he set the new teddy bear down by his pillow beside Mr. Tickles. Finally, he took what would have been Serena James' blanket, and laid it out on the bed.

"Still with us," he smiled. He touched the blanket softly, "Mommy will kick his butt. Don't worry about it. Just keep playing fetch with Scruffy, and under his chin. He loves that."


	10. Little Samurai Little Monster

"Ooh, ahh, ooh," Octoroo cried as he waddled back to the ship and pealed a seal from his chest, beneath his tentacles. He had just gone to the human world to take a look at what the Samurai Rangers were up to and was now back with news. As he made his way to the main room of the ship, he saw Serrator pacing back and forth, shaking his head in discounted while Dayu knelt beside an injured Dekker, and tending to his injuries.

Serrator had planned for worldwide destruction. Had all gone exactly according to plan, the Earth would have been flooded by now and the Rangers, as well as the rest of the humans, would have been cleaned from their world, wiped away by the Sanzu River. Serrator would watch as the human world fell to his feet and claimed him king. Any humans who did somehow survive would serve him loyally for the rest of their lives as his servants. Nighlok would tremble in fear at the mention of his name. Even Xandred, the almighty Master of the Netherworld, would be forced to bow and give up his title. If Serrator could take both worlds, he would be unstoppable.

But Dekker had hesitated, and thus he had been injured. Badly injured. Dayu was tending to him now, cleaning out several nasty gashes. There was no way Dekker could split the world in two. Given his state now, he would die before he left even a little chip. Serrator couldn't understand it, but there was nothing he could do now. Dekker was a key part of his plan. Without him, without Dekker's rage and misery, he couldn't get the Earth to open. He had Serena as a back-up plan, and wouldn't hesitate to use her, but using Dekker was the faster route.

"Take good care of him," Serrator instructed Dayu and then turned to Octoroo, "Where have you been?"

"Watching the Samurai Rangers," Octoroo tossed the seal over the side of the ship. "Ooh, ahh, ooh, do I have news for you."

"It better be good," Serrator growled, "Right now, I could use some good news."

"Two of the Rangers are by the ruins. They're waiting for Dekker."

"For Dekker?" Serrator turned his head to his nearly unconscious half-Nighlok key. "Why would they be waiting for Dekker?"

"It turns out, they wish to make a deal with him," Octoroo announced. "I overheard Red and Pink. Red wants to duel Dekker. I don't know what those Rangers have up their sleeve, but it seems they've got something sneaky figured out."

"The red Ranger _wants_ to have his duel with Dekker?" Dayu asked as she looked down at Dekker, "Why would he bring that up again?"

"I just know the Rangers are up to something," Octoroo answered, "I don't have any more information. Well…"

"Well?" Serrator asked.

"I could have heard them wrong," Octoroo said, "but Red and Pink also mentioned something about a baby. Just a brief mention, not too much detail, except that Serrator killed it."

"You're warning me about a problem I've already taken care of?" Serrator growled and turned his back to Octoroo, "Not just that, but you're warning me about a little, helpless baby? A dead, helpless baby?"

"Terran?" Dayu was a little more interested than Serrator. Though she had no connection to Terran, he was Dekker's son, and Dekker wished to have him. Dayu would help Dekker raise the young boy, once they got him. Terran wasn't her son, and he never would be, but he would give her what she always wanted: a family with Dekker.

"Like I said, I don't know the details," Octoroo said, "but the Samurai seemed very excited at the thought of fooling Dekker and finally destroying Serrator."

"Destroy me?" Serrator laughed loudly, "HA! They think they can destroy me? I've weakened their entire planet! One more little push, and every one of those Rangers, their families, their friends, and every other human being on the planet will be wiped away! I'm the most powerful being to ever walk the Netherworld and the human world? Those children think they can destroy me?"

Dayu got to her feet, "Serrator, you killed Terran?"

"Terran? You mean Dekker's boy?" Serrator shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Of course not. Why would I do such a thing? I promised Dekker…"

"Then which baby did you kill?"

"Dozens," Serrator beamed, "Hundreds. At this point, I've lost count…"

"In relation to the Samurai. This team of Samurai."

"None," Serrator shook his head. "I have not killed one of the newer Samurai babies… unless… Dayu, explain to me how you humans… reproduce."

Dayu rolled her eyes and sighed, "This is not a conversation I want to have with a Nighlok. When a man and a woman…"

"NOT THAT TALK!" Serrator shouted. Dayu took a step back.

"Women are pregnant. For nine months they carry a child, until it is ready to be delivered…"

"Delivered from where? Humans don't just appear from thin air, do they? Where do babies come from?"

"The stomach. A woman carries a baby in her stomach until it is ready to be born."

"The… stomach," Serrator grinned mischievously, "Well, well, well, I just love it when everything falls right into place."

"I don't get it," Octoroo whispered to Dayu as Serrator paced the ship, celebrating this news. "What happened?"

Serrator turned around and looked to Dayu and Octoroo. He was still grinning from ear to ear.

"It seems little Yellow was expecting a child," Serrator looked down at Dekker's body and smirked, "Oh, there is so much I can do now. More than ever, these Samurai will suffer."

-Samurai-

Jayden kept a close eye on the fire, watching it closely as it burned. Because most of the debris around him was metal or concrete, there was nothing to burn. Jayden had to work a little harder to keep the fire going with his Symbol Power, but it was nothing he didn't already know how to do. Ji had made sure Jayden knew how to keep a fire burning without wasting too much energy. It was a survival skill Jayden had perfected before he truly understood why he might ever need to know it.

On the other side of the flame, hugging herself for warmth was Mia. Though the weather was still agreeable during the day, it had a nasty habit of letting the temperature fall at night. The flames were keeping Jayden and Mia from being uncomfortably cold, but they were both missing the warmth of their beds.

"Are you okay?" he asked Mia. She rolled her eyes and groaned. Jayden had been asking her this all day, and it didn't look like he was taking a break for the night. They had talked for hours, having nothing else to do while they waited for something to happen. Several times Jayden mentioned her father, with the intention of reassuring her everything would be okay. Mia had told him that at night she and Kevin would talk, and he would help her cope with his death. Now that Mia was spending a night without Kevin, Jayden wanted to make sure she wasn't getting bad thoughts or urges.

"If you keep talking about dead babies and dead fathers I won't be," Mia muttered. "I'm fine, Jay. I told you."

"I meant, are you okay? You look cold," Jayden chuckled. "You know, we're in disguise and we're alone. You can summon up a blanket or a jacket if you want. I wouldn't want my babysitter to be a popsicle when Dekker turns up."

"I'm fine," Mia sighed and relaxed slightly. She shifted closer to the fire, "Okay, I'm trying to stay optimistic. Serrator seemed pretty into his plan earlier, but if no one's turned up now, what are the odds they'll turn up anytime soon? How long do they think we're going to wait? They finally got something started. What's the point of having a big build up and then just… disappearing?"

"It's an evil tease?" Jayden suggested. "We're just going to have to wait it out. They'll come back eventually."

"Before Halloween, I hope," Mia rolled her eyes. "I give them until morning, and then I say we head back, eat a warm breakfast and try this again in a couple of nights. Serrator could just be waiting us out. We'll be no use to the team if we sit out here, freezing our butts off, sleeping on rock beds and eating… what are we going to eat, Jayden?"

"Uh…" Jayden looked around. There was nothing to eat in the rubble. He could cook anything over his flame, but he would need something to cook.

Mia groaned, "Do you think the pizza guy could get his car close enough to deliver pizza?"

"I know what we could do," Jayden smirked and traced a symbol in the air. As it faded away, a tupperwear container appeared in the air. He opened it up and groaned, "Well, I guess Mike ate the pizza. Let me try for something else."

He made another symbol. Another container appeared. He opened it up, smiled, and then tipped it slightly to show Mia what was inside, "Leftovers from Serena's delicious apple pie."

"From our fridge?" Mia asked. "How did you do that?"

Jayden grinned, "Another survival trick Ji taught me. Want it warmed up?"

-Samurai-

Knowing what was waiting for her in her bedroom, Emily didn't want to head back right after training. Mike had promised he would take care of the blankets, the toys, and the books, but Emily didn't feel like facing that just yet. She was slowly getting used to the fact that her baby was dead, but it was too soon for reminders.

So instead she decided to have a little fun – take her mind off her baby and Serrator for now.

As Kevin showered, Emily snuck into his room. Like always, his bed was perfectly made. Emily pressed her hand into the blanket, leaving a little wrinkle and then she squeezed under the bed. Kevin was going to notice the wrinkle and would have to remake the bed.

After a few minutes of waiting, the shower turned off and Kevin walked out of the bathroom. He had a towel around his waist as he walked around to collect his clothes. Emily watched his feet move from her spot under the bed and smirked. It was only a matter of time now.

The towel fell, but Emily couldn't see above mid-shin anyways. She waited eagerly as Kevin slipped on a pair of boxers and then it seemed he noticed the bed. He made his way over and unknowingly stood right in front of Emily.

"Stupid dog," she heard him mutter as he smoothed out the wrinkle on the bed. Very slowly she reached her hand out and brushed it against his foot. Kevin jumped back, startled, and she pulled her hand away quickly.

"What the…?" Kevin asked himself as his feet moved around, likely as he looked around the room for what had touched his foot. He would never suspect there was anyone under the bed. Emily could barely squeeze underneath, and Mike and Antonio, the usual pranksters, were much too big.

Kevin started to walk away from the bed, and Emily watched him pick up his wet towel from the floor and take it back into the bathroom. She only had a couple of minutes, but it was more than enough time. She slipped out from under the bed and grabbed Kevin's and Mia's pillows and switched them around. Then she slipped back under the bed just as Kevin came back into the room. She watched his feet move closer and closer to the bed.

"Mike, I know it's you messing with me!" Kevin called. His feet were at the top of the bed. Emily knew he was putting the pillows back where they belong.

"Dude, I'm not doing anything," Emily heard Mike's voice.

"Ha-ha, you got me. Letting Storm in the bedroom, switching the pillows. I'm OCD, ha-ha-ha."

"I'd admit it if I did something. Trust me, I would take credit for driving you crazy, but dude, I'm not doing anything."

Kevin started walking back to the end of the bed. Emily grinned. This was it. As his feet crossed in front of her, she reached out, grabbing him by the ankle and pulling him. Kevin let out a loud scream, fell over, and continued screaming.

"SOMETHING GRABBED MY LEG!"

"I'll kill it!" Emily could hear and feel the feet of the other Samurai as they all raced over into the bedroom, and Serena was the first to volunteer to take care of whatever had caused the cry for help. A scream in the Shiba House meant one of two things: either someone was in trouble, or someone was being pranked. From where she was lying, Emily could see everyone's feet by the door, including Terran's.

"My foot! It grabbed my foot!" Kevin jumped up to his feet and ran to the other wall. "It's under the bed. There's something under the bed."

"Under the bed?" Serena asked. Emily saw her lower a training sword. She had come armed apparently. Then again, Kevin's scream had been pretty high-pitched. Serena had probably assumed it had been her screaming, not Kevin.

"There's something under the bed," Kevin nodded his head as he tried to calm his beating heart. "Something grabbed my foot from under the bed."

"Yeah, yeah, we get it," Serena muttered. She walked over to the bed and Emily realized one flaw in her plan as Serena sat down. The weight of her sister came down, squishing her on the floor and pushing out a groan. "Yep."

The weight on the bed rolled to the other side and then was lifted. Suddenly, Emily felt a hand grab each of her ankles and she was pulled out from under the bed and then held upside down by her sister. Serena started to laugh. She looked to Kevin, "It's just a teeny tiny monster, Kevin."

"Emily?" Kevin placed his hand over his heart, "What was that for? You scared me half to death."

"I'm depressed and bored," Emily wiggled slightly, trying to get Serena to let her down before all the blood drained from her body to her brain, "So I thought I would cheer myself up."

"You were seriously afraid of something under the bed?" Antonio tried to hold in a laugh, but he couldn't. Mike was already clutching his stomach, gasping for breath as he tried to control his laughter. Even Ji was doing his best to not laugh, but was failing miserably.

"A lot of dangerous stuff's been going on lately," Kevin straightened himself up, trying to look as serious as possible. "I'm allowed a little freak out. And anyways, it's not like that monster's harmless."

"Harmless enough," Serena shrugged. She dropped Emily on the bed and then a thought occurred to her, "Wait… if Emily was the one scaring Kevin, why did she scream?"

"I didn't scream," Emily looked up at Serena. She giggled, "Kevin did."

"Kevin… that was…?" now Serena started to laugh, "Holy crap! Kevin, do it again! That's going to be my new ringtone!"

"No," Kevin frowned and pointed to the door. "Now can you all get out so I can get dressed? Please!"

"C'mon, guys," Kate chuckled as he guided the Samurai who weren't crippled by laughter out of the room. Emily got off the bed and walked over to Mike. At this point, he had dropped to the ground and was clutching his stomach. Tears were streaming down his cheeks.

"Let's go, Mike," Emily giggled as she helped him up.

"You… have… no idea… how… much… I love you… right now," Mike said between huge gasps for air.


	11. Serrator's Soldiers

Serrator didn't exist in this world, and his appearance was only temporary. After hearing the news that the yellow Ranger had been pregnant, Serrator wanted to play one final game with the Samurai before he said goodbye to them for good. Dekker's hesitation to split the world in two had cost him dearly, and he was and would be recovering for a while in the Netherworld. This meant Serrator couldn't go forward with his plan unless Serena changed her mind, submit to him once more, and spent hours, possible days, digging through the Earth. Serrator didn't see that happening fast enough. In fact, he was sure Dekker would be recovered before Serena would change her mind. He didn't feel like wasting his time until it was necessary. Until he knew for sure Dekker wouldn't help him out and he needed his back up.

So in the meantime, Serrator had another game to play. While he lived in one world, there were many more in existence elsewhere. Different dimensions, the humans liked to call it. Many didn't even believe such things existed. They thought themselves too special, too unique, to not be one of a million living beings. Serrator knew the truth. He knew of the different worlds. A world, in particular where things had worked out… differently. Somewhere out there, among the million, maybe even billion other universes was exactly what his was looking for.

He wished for it, and he got it. He landed on a barren planet. The earth was dry, the sky was grey and all seemed lost. Not a soul was in sight: human or Nighlok, and there was not a drop of water to be seen. Serrator looked around. Had the humans won the war against the Nighlok? Had the Nighlok won and destroyed themselves for power? Serrator couldn't find out. He had no idea where he had landed, or in what time. He just knew what he was needed and what he was looking for.

Because of the gap he had used to get here his time was limited. He couldn't stay here forever: one of the reason he didn't just travel to a dimension where he already ruled (and he refused to share the title of master even with another version of himself). Quickly, he needed to find what he wanted and bring them back to his world.

Then he heard it: a twig snap. In such a dry, empty place, there shouldn't have been any life around, and yet his foot had stepped on a twig. Without any wind there was no way it could have blown in from somewhere with a little more life.

"C'mon, Carrie, focus! Symbol Power takes strength, concentration…"

"Silence!"

Serrator grinned, hearing the conversation. Ducking behind a stone, he poked just the top of his head out to watch as two teenagers – about the age of the Samurai back in his home world – trained before him. In each of their hands was what Serrator recognized as the Rangers' Samuraizers. The girl was working with her glowing green one, while the boy held his tightly.

He knew they were the ones he needed.

"C'mon, Care-bear," the boy groaned as the girl tried a symbol and failed, "You need to master this. Our parents died…"

"My parents died!" the girl shouted and threw her Samuraizer into the dirt. "You still have your father! I'm alone!"

"You're not alone," the boy picked up her Samuraizer and held it out for her to take. "Look, I know this is frustrating. I had to learn to master my Symbol Power by myself. It's frustrating, but you've got to keep trying. You can't let yourself get frustrated. Now, just take a few breaths, calm yourself down and…"

"Fuck you, Terran! I quit!" Carrie turned her back to her cousin and started walking off. Serrator wasn't sure where. There was nothing around for miles, but she seemed to know where she was going.

"Carrie! Carrie, get back here! We're not… arg! You're so annoying!" Terran whined as he followed her. Serrator decided this was his chance. He stepped out from behind the rock and cleared his throat, catching the two Samurai by surprise. They spun around. Terran took a step to the side, putting himself between the monster and Carrie.

"Nighlok? What are you doing here?"

Serrator smirked, "I couldn't help but overhear your little problem."

"Don't trust a word these things say, Care-bear," Terran said and glanced quickly over his shoulder at his cousin, "Run home. Tell dad about this. I'll be right behind you. I promise."

"No way. Let me fight," Carrie shook her head, "C'mon, Terran, I can…"

"Until you learn to master a single symbol, you're not going to morph!" Terran shouted at her, "Now run! Maybe next time, if you work hard…"

"I don't think you understand why I'm here," Serrator held up his hand, "I come from another world."

"Another world?" Carrie asked. Terran stepped back and shoved her away.

"Home, Carrie."

"Terran…"

"Go home! You can't trust the Nighlok!"

"You can trust me," Serrator said. He pulled out his sword and then set it on the ground. He knew how to play this game. He had manipulated humans and Nighlok alike for centuries. "I have a little favour to ask of you. I promise great rewards."

"Like what?" Carrie asked. Serrator grinned. He was having fun already.

-Samurai-

Mia and Jayden were exhausted by the time they got home. Sleeping outside on stones with just a small flame to keep them warm was not recommended for a restful night. Still, they had come up with something.

Serrator was no longer in a rush to destroy Earth. It was good and bad. The Rangers had a little more time to recover; time to come up with a plan to end him and all the Nighlok once and for all, but it also meant Serrator was working on something else. A grander plan, with greater consequences than what they had just witnessed.

Regardless, Jayden and Mia would be no good to the team or the Earth if they didn't get a good rest and so had come home just for that. Mia growled as the Samurai tried to greet her and ask if anything had happened overnight. Jayden was a little friendlier.

"Not a sign from anyone," he shook his head. "Serrator's taking his sweet time now."

"Dekker did seem pretty beat up," Antonio muttered. "If Serrator wants to destroy the world, and Dekker's the one to do it, I'll bet he needs to be at full strength."

"Still, it's a little weird Serrator's not trying anything," Kevin said. "Wouldn't he want to keep us busy? Kick us while we're down? Do something?"

"I'm sure he's up to something," Serena nodded her head, "We'll have to keep a close eye on the city. Very close."

"Someone else can sleep on rocks and dirt," Mia growled. She got up from her stool and shoved a plastic container into Serena's hands, "The pie was fucking delicious. It was the best part of sleeping on a stone cold ground. Thank you. Goodnight."

"Pie?" Serena looked into the container, "I didn't give you guys a pie."

"Hey! Who ate the pie?" Ji cried from the kitchen.

Mia scowled as she headed off to her room. She was not a happy person when she didn't get her sleep. Jayden also got up, ready for a proper sleep, but first he looked at Emily, "Sorry. It was a good idea, Em, but it didn't pan out."

"I was sure someone would show up," Emily sighed. Mike wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"This is good," he told her. "Serrator or Dekker or any of the Nighlok could have seen Jayden and Mia were on the stakeout and were waiting for them to leave. If something happens now, at least we'll get it all over with. If not, we'll know to look out for another dirty trick."

"I guess," Emily nodded her head, "I just… I really want to kick Serrator's butt. Once and for all."

"You'll get your chance," Jayden promised her and then he left for bed. Emily sighed.

"Serrator's up to something again, isn't he?"

James looked at the map, "No sign of Nighlok activity yet."

"Something big. Serena…"

"I'll start training with the Shark Disk," Serena nodded her head, "I get the feeling we'll need it soon."

"I've got a bad feeling," Kevin said as he looked around the room. The Rangers seemed to share the sentiment as they each nodded in agreement.

-Samurai-

"This is better than I ever imagined," Carrie spun around in excitement as she looked at all the big tall buildings, the wide-open sky, and all the people. There were so many people. "Uncle James said Earth used to be awesome, but he never said it was this awesome!"

"Calm down, Care," Terran sighed and grabbed her arm, keeping her near so he wouldn't lose her among the crowd, "We can marvel later. We're here for a reason."

"Yeah. A mission," Carrie beamed brightly, "This is so cool. We're on a real mission! We're like real Samurai. Lost Samurai! That should be our team name. The Lost Samurai. Think Serrator will like it?"

"Do you really trust Serrator?" Terran asked his cousin as he looked down at her, "I mean, he's a Nighlok. Dad always said…"

"What's Serrator going to do? Screw us over?" Carrie shook her head, "Terran, we have nothing back home. We live in a freaking cave! Our home sucks, our planet sucks. Nighlok don't even want to live in our world anymore. Even if Serrator screws us over royally, can it really be worst that what we already have?"

Terran shook his head, "I guess not. So, do you have any idea where we're going?"

"Uh, Serrator said to follow the sun," Carrie looked up at the sky, "Terran! Terran! Look! A sun! There's really a sun! OW! And it's bright! Ow, my eyes. I'm blind."

Terran slapped his hand to his face, "You're such a dork, Care-bear."

"How are we supposed to follow something that's too bright to see?" Carrie groaned as she rubbed her eyes, "Terran, do you know how to…"

"Don't look right at it," Terran groaned. He grabbed her by the arm, "Just follow me. I'll get us there."

He led her down the road and followed the sun. Eventually, everything about this world that marvelled him started to fade away. Buildings were getting smaller and smaller, and started to look like the city back home. Before he knew it, Terran was in a part of town that looked exactly like home.

"Serrator said the Samurai Rangers did this," Carrie reminded him. "If we don't stop them, they'll do to this Earth what the Nighlok did to ours. We can't let that happen. We need to do this – for all these people, and for our parents. I need to know who my parents really were, Terran."

Terran looked to his cousin and sighed. He knew how she felt. Every day he longed to meet his mother, but she had died long before he was old enough to remember her face, and the Earth had been wiped clean complete. Cities, states, countries had fallen as a huge war against the Nighlok and the humans ensued, leaving no victor. The Nighlok retreated from the human world as soon as they saw there was nothing to claim, and the humans, unable to travel to the Netherworld to cause the same destruction, were left to live in the wreckage. Nothing could be salvaged, and humans were left to start from scratch.

His mother was only one of many who had fallen in battle over the years. All the Samurai were gone. Terran and Carrie were the only two left on the entire planet. Carrie had been just a couple weeks old when her parents had been killed: murdered. Her father died protecting her mother, and her mother died to protect her. From that day forward, Carrie wanted to meet her parents. She dreamed of the day she could see them.

Serrator was giving her that chance now. He was offering Carrie the chance to meet her parents, and Terran the chance to see his mother if they did him one little favour. In this world, Serrator claimed something had happened to the Rangers, and that they were now more of a danger to the Earth than Master Xandred himself. More than ever, they needed to be stopped and Carrie and Terran were just the people for the job. If they destroyed the Rangers in this world, Serrator promised to bring them back in their home world. Not only would they get their parents back, but their aunts and uncles as well. Everyone James spoke so fondly of. It was a huge risk, but the reward was great.

"We can't hesitate, then," Terran told her. "We've got to do exactly as Serrator asks. We kill these ones; we get the real ones back. Whoever these people are, they are not our parents. They're monsters. Got it, Squirt?"

"Got it," Carrie nodded her head and started to climb over the rubble, "I call being leader of the Lost Samurai!"

"Hey! I'm older! I'm leader!"

"Green before yellow!"

"You're part yellow too!"

"So I'm double awesome. Awesome is automatically leader over… blah."

"I'm not blah!"

"Yahuh!"

"Nahuh!"


	12. The Break In

"Carrie, you know what to do?" Terran asked. He pulled his Samuraizer out from his pocket. Carrie took hers out as well.

"I've never morphed before."

Terran picked up a twig from the ground and traced a symbol in the dirt for her, "This is the symbol you use to morph. It's the easiest thing in the world. Just remember the order of the strokes and focus."

"You know I hate Symbols, Ter. Can't I just… zip up the suit?"

"No, you have to morph," Terran shook his head, "I know you hate training, but think of your parents. If we defeat these Samurai Rangers, we'll get our parents and everyone back again."

Carrie smiled. It was a good deal. She had never liked training before, but there had never really been a reason to train before. Now she had one. Above all else, she wanted to see her parents. She wanted to meet them. Terran traced her forest symbol in the dirt for her once more and she followed him exactly. Within seconds she felt the power coursing through her as a green suit covered every inch of her body. She looked down at herself and smiled, "I'm the green Ranger!"

"Suits you," Terran gave her a smile and traced his earth symbol. He morphed into the yellow Ranger and gestured for Carrie to follow him. He could see the gates around the Shiba House. Inside were the Samurai Rangers.

Defeat them, and he would see his mother again. His father always spoke so highly of her, always told Terran how much she loved him. Terran's heart ached for his mother. He would do anything to get her back, even kill her.

Because they were human, they passed through the shields no problem and stormed into the house. Terran created a large boulder out of Symbol Power. Like his mother, he had always had a knack for learning Symbols. Despite having to teach himself, he was quite skilled. His father had salvaged a book of Symbols before the end of the Earth and Terran had spent most of his time studying it.

First to greet the Samurai children at the door was a dog. Storm raced into the hallway, barking angrily at the intruders. It was the middle of the night, everyone was sleeping, and these two strangers were trespassing on her territory, putting her family in danger.

"Shut the dog up, Terran!" Carrie shouted as she raced through the hallways. An older man turned the corner, but Carrie didn't have time to see who he was. While Terran was skilled with Symbols, Carrie had always loved hand to hand combat. Before the old man could utter a word, he was kicked in the side of the face and then knocked to the ground. "Ter! I got one!"

The dog's barking ceased and Terran came around the corner with rope in his hand.

"Keep this up, Care-bear," Terran smirked as he tied Ji's hands behind his back and dragged the dazed mentor into the common room. He tossed Carrie the rope as she ran down the hall to one of the bedrooms. "Kick ass!"

Carrie grinned and knocked down a door. Already she was greeted by two housemates: Rangers blue and pink if their choice of pyjama colour was any indication. They seemed ready to strike, but hesitated when she walked in. Carrie knew why. She looked just like one of them when she was morphed.

"Mike? What's with the skirt?" Kevin asked as the green Ranger came towards him. "Alright, I get it, it's another joke. You're actually Emily. You just…"

"Kevin!" Mia cried as Kevin was kicked in the chest and thrown into the wall. He hit his head and it would take him a moment to recover. That was long enough for Carrie. While Mia was distracted looking to Kevin to see if he was okay, Carrie grabbed her and wound the rope around her wrists, tying them behind her back. She did this quickly – she knew how to do it quickly from hunting. Food didn't come easy back home. When the pink Ranger's hands were tied tightly, Carrie kicked her in the back of the knees, forcing her to fall to the ground. Carrie then walked to the blue Ranger and tied him up as well.

"Ter! Two more!" she called to him.

"Four! I got two too."

Carrie drew her sword and pointed it at Mia, "Go to the main room."

"Who the hell are you?" Mia growled. Kevin staggered to his feet, dizzy from being smashed into the wall. It was hard to get his balance with his hands behind his back.

"I said…"

"Nothing."

Carrie felt an arm wrap around her neck and a body pressed up against her from behind, grabbing her and holding her still. She struggled against her captor as someone else ran into the room and started to work at untying the pink Ranger.

Mia looked to Mike and Emily, and then to the green Ranger, "Seriously, what's going on?"

"I was going to ask you," Emily got the knot undone and the rope fell away from Mia's wrists.

Mike continued to hold the green Ranger, "You have five seconds to explain yourself, imposter."

"Five, four, three, two, one," Carrie counted down and the flipped Mike over her shoulder. She pointed her sword at his chest, keeping him down.

"Mike!" Emily stopped working on Kevin's bonds when she saw Mike was in trouble. She jumped up to help but then something flew right at her head. Before she could do anything to stop it, a blade pierced the wall beside her, almost taking her head off. She gasped when she saw it wasn't just any blade. It was the blade from her Earth Slicer. Two of the points were keeping her pressed against the wall. Had they come any closer, or at the wall not stopped the one blade from going any further, her head would have been cut right off.

If a female green Ranger wasn't strange enough, a male yellow Ranger walked into the room. He turned to his partner.

"The house is empty. I got everyone else in the big room. Just these four."

Emily pulled her Earth Slicer from the wall and used it to cut Kevin's hands free. Then she glared at the imposter Rangers, "Who are you?"

"None of your damn business!" the green Ranger shouted at her and her Spin Sword turned into the Forest Spear. She pressed the tip into Mike's chest. "Tie him back up," she nodded her head in Kevin's direction. Emily looked to the blue Ranger sadly. Kevin sighed and turned his back to Emily, granting her access to his wrists. She grabbed what was left of the cut rope and bound his hands together.

"Now her," the male yellow Ranger pointed to Mia. Emily did as she was asked, and Mia didn't put up a fight.

Mike did. He tried to wiggle out from under his own weapon, but his imposter pressed it a little harder into his chest, really pinning him down.

"Now him," the green Ranger pointed to Mike and used the Forest Spear to smack him in the arm, telling him to roll to his stomach. Emily bound his hands and then the female green Ranger led the three of them away to the common room. The yellow Ranger grabbed Emily and tied her wrists with the last piece of rope he had in his hands. He bound them tightly.

"Ow!"

"Stop whining," he grabbed her arm and walked her back to the common room. The others were all sitting on their stools. The yellow Ranger forced her into her seat and then looked to his partner, "Okay, now we've got to do… it."

"Storm?" Emily whined, seeing her dog lying still on the table. Storm didn't respond when her name was called. Emily started to panic. She looked up at the imposter Rangers, "What did you do to my dog?"

"If you killed it, you're in for an ass-kicking," Antonio muttered. "Especially now."

"Relax," the yellow Ranger looked at Emily, "It'll wake up soon. I just needed it to shut up."

"So… who do we… you know," Carrie slid her hand across her throat. Mia closed her eyes and kept them shut as she tried not to think of the scene that still haunted her.

"Wait, you want to kill us?" Mike asked, looking up at the imposters, "Dudes, seriously? What did we ever do to you?"

"He was clear about one thing," Terran said, ignoring Mike, "Not red or white. He had others plans for them."

"Whose he?" James asked. Terran looked to the one he recognized as the younger version of his father. It was bad enough Serrator was having him kill his family in this world, but now he had to do it in front of the father he loved dearly. Using Symbol Power, he put a bag over James' head. At least this way he didn't have to see the look on his father's face when he killed the first Samurai. It was for a good cause, but in this world, James would never know or understand that.

"So… do we, like, flip a coin or something?" Carrie asked. "Or, what if we do one of them first? You know, _them, _them."

"Remember what my dad said," Terran shook his head and pointed to Serena. "Serrator has other plans for her. We can't kill her."

"Yeah, because that's fair," Carrie rolled her eyes. Suddenly, something caught her attention. She looked to Terran curiously, though he couldn't see it because of the helmet, "Ter, do you hear that?"

"Check it out," Terran nodded. "I'll keep my eye on them."

Carrie nodded and hurried out of the room. She followed what sounded like a baby crying until she reached one of the bedrooms. She walked inside and saw a crib. She peeked inside and found a baby. Though he was so young, and he looked so different, Carrie could still recognize him. She powered down and gently lifted little Terran from the crib.

"Hey, it's okay," she took the little boy in her arms and soothed him as she walked back to the common room. Little Terran stopped crying in her arms by the time she made it back to the others. She looked to the older Terran, showing him his younger self, "Guess who."

"I guess we know what time it is," Terran nodded his head. "Put him back to sleep, Care-bear. He shouldn't have to see this."

"Put him down," Serena growled, seeing the enemy with her son. She didn't care now that she could see the green Ranger's face, and she looked to be a kid no older than Emily. She would kill her if she did anything to Terran. When Carrie didn't set him down right away, Serena stood up, "I said: put my son down."

"I won't hurt him!" Carrie cried and pushed Serena back down, "Geez, re…"

"LEAF STORM!"

A barrage of leaves blew right at Carrie, blinding her while the edges of the leaves cut at her skin, tearing into her until she had had enough and had to drop Terran to shield herself. Terran cried when he felt himself falling (Mike made sure the leaves had no effect on him), but he was safely caught before he hit the ground. Kevin held his gently and soothed him.

Terran wanted to go help his cousin, who was still assaulted by Mike's Leaf Storm, but Mia stepped in his way. She had morphed and had her sword pointed at Terran's chest.

"Power down now," she growled. "Power down before I make you."

Terran shook his head and looked over at Carrie, "Care-bear, you okay?"

"You didn't tell me Symbols could be that awesome," Carrie put her hand on the wall and pulled herself up. "If I had known I could do something like that, I'd have trained every day!"

"Care."

"Yeah?"

"Run," Terran turned around, smashed the window and jumped out. Carrie followed his lead and raced off after him. Mia wanted to chase after them but knew better. She powered down and looked to her teammates. Kevin and Mike were already working at untying them.

"What the hell just happened?" she asked.

"Serrator's next big move," Jayden answered him.


	13. Remember The Plan

Terran found a creek not too far from the Shiba House and powered down. He looked over to Carrie, who was still bleeding from several cuts. Just as they had been contemplating who to kill and how to kill them, Carrie had brought in a younger Terran, which understandably had angered the Samurai. Carrie's own father had attacked her with his Leaf Storm, slicing at her until she had no choice but to drop the baby. Then, the blue Ranger snatched him up, and the pink Ranger attacked Terran.

"Your mom tied the three that escaped," Terran told Carrie as she stripped down to her underwear and got into the water. Living in a cave and sleeping in the dirt meant Carrie knew how important it was to keep her cuts clean, no matter how minor they were. Anything could cause an infection if it wasn't cleaned and treated properly.

"Next time, we tie them up tighter and we tie them all up ourselves," Carrie nodded her head and then dove under the water. Terran sat at the edge of the creek and kept his eye on his cousin while at the same time he tried to come up with another plan. Three of the Samurai had overpowered the two of them. Terran knew there was no way he and Carrie could take them all on at once. They would be killed.

"Unless," Terran smiled as his cousin rose from the water. He waved her over. "Care, they have no idea who we are, right?"

"It's bad enough we know who they are," Carrie said. "I mean, I know this has to be done, and we'll finally get our parents back if we kill them but… what if I take care of the other Samurai, and you kill my parents for me?"

"Deal," Terran nodded, "but if this is hard for us, imagine how hard it would be for our parents to attack us when they know who we are."

"So, we tell them?" Carrie asked. "What if they don't believe us? What if they don't care? What if mom and dad don't care about me? I saw you in that house, but did you see another baby? A little me?"

"You might not be born yet."

"So what if they don't believe me? Or if they can't care about me yet? They might just think I'm an imposter or…"

Carrie's eyes widened as she rushed out of the water and quickly got dressed. Terran couldn't tell why she was suddenly so startled until he turned around and saw Serrator had joined them.

"How did it go?" Serrator asked. Terran got to his feet and looked the Nighlok in the eye. He stood between Serrator and Carrie. Though he trusted Serrator enough to do this mission for him, he would never trust him alone with Carrie. Aside from his father, she was all he had.

"It's not easy," Terran said. "We got them tied up but when we were trying to figure out how to kill them, three of them escaped and they kicked our butts."

"You're going to have to try better than that," Serrator shook his head. "Fortunately, I'm feeling generous today. I'm here to help you."

"Help us? How?" Carrie asked.

Serrator smirked, "I'm going to attack you."

"Touch a hair on her head and I'll destroy you," Terran growled and shoved Serrator backwards. Serrator took a step back, got his balance, and then gave Terran a smirk.

"For the greater good," he assured him. "The Samurai and I… hate each other. Tell them you made a deal with me and I broke it. You were so desperate for help, you trusted me and you regret it dearly. Tell them _I_ killed your parents."

"How's that going to help us?" Terran asked.

"They'll take you in. Help you recover. You will be in their home. One night, once you feel you're ready for it – strike. Take them out while they sleep. One by one until only White and Red are left."

"Why do you want my mom?"

Serrator placed his hand on Terran's shoulder, "You saw the destruction in the city, right? Your mother will help me turn it into something better."

"And the red Ranger?" Carrie asked.

"Have you heard of Master Xandred? Red Ranger is the only one who knows how to seal him away for good. I need him alive so he can do that."

"So we're just killing my parents, then? How's that fair?"

"It's very fair. You see, your mother was pregnant with you. As a matter of fact, she should still be pregnant, but…"

"But?"

Serrator sighed heavily, "She didn't want a child yet. I'm sure you understand. You're the same age she is now. A child at this point in your life…"

"What happened to me?" Carrie asked.

"Your mother didn't want you. So she threw you away. She… what do you humans call it? Abortion?"

"She… she killed me?"

"Basically. In this dimension, your mother chose to murder you."

Carrie's eyes watered up instantly. She grabbed Terran's arm and leaned into him for comfort. She couldn't believe it. It was no wonder even Serrator thought these Rangers were monsters. Her very own mother had killed her.

"Ter…" before she could say anything, something grabbed her. It pulled her and Terran apart, and she felt like every inch of her body was on fire.

"Remember the plan!" she heard Serrator's voice over the pain. It was part of the plan, but that didn't make it any less painful. She screamed loudly as she was lifted off the ground and then thrown through the air. She only stopped when she hit a tree and then crashed into the ground.

"Carrie!" she heard Terran call her name but was still in too much pain to move.

Serrator watched his little recruits struggle on the ground and then looked up. Just as he had expected, his presence had drawn in the Samurai – yellow especially. While the Rangers ran to check up on Terran and Carrie, Serrator was attacked by the yellow Ranger.

He knocked her sword from her hand and grabbed her by the throat, "I do not wish to fight you today. Nor do I wish to ever see you again. It's a shame, really. I would have loved to kill you just like I killed your daughter. By the way, the baby was a girl."

Serrator threw Emily aside and jumped into a Gap, disappearing for now. Emily gasped loudly as she powered down and touched her neck. She tried to catch her breath as Mike helped her up to her feet.

"Em, you okay?"

"He… he knows," Emily looked Mike right in the eyes. He saw nothing but panic, "Mike, he knows!"

"Shh," he pulled her into his arms and held her close, "You'll get him next time."

He kissed the top of her head and hugged her warmly. He tried to hold back his tears, knowing he had to stay strong for her. Serena approached them, looking on worriedly.

"Emily?"

"She's fine," Mike assured her, "The girl, she's the girl who attacked us."

"The boy too. He's got to be," Serena nodded, "And if they got into the house, they are human – and they're in a bad way. We're going to take them home."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Got any other plans?" Serena asked, "I'm not going to leave them here alone like this."

Mike sighed and then let go of Emily. He left her with Serena while he went to have a look for himself. First he looked to the girl, then he looked to the boy and nearly shit himself.

"Terran?"

"What?" Mia turned to Mike and frowned, "You know this kid?"

"We all do," Mike dropped next to the boy and brushed the hair away from his face. He was a little older than what Mike remembered, but this boy looked just like Terran – and older Terran. Mike only knew this because he had jumped into the future once. He had jumped forward fifteen years and he had seen what Terran looked like. Of course, this Terran was even older than that, but not by much. Three years, maybe four. He had grown quite a bit in that time, "It's Terran."

"What… what do you mean?" Serena left Emily's side and raced over, "Mike, there's no way…"

"Look at him, Serena," Mike pointed to the boy's face, "Look at him and tell me that's not Terran! That explains how he could morph."

Serena looked at the boy and at first she honestly couldn't see it, but the more she stared at his face, the more she recognized him. He was older, much older obviously, but this was her little baby boy. Serena pulled him into her arms and hugged him to her chest.

"So… what's going on?" Antonio asked. "I mean, that can't actually be Terran, can it?"

"Weirder stuff has happened," Mike shrugged his shoulders. He helped Serena with Terran, gently taking him from her, and then with Antonio's help they started walking him back home. Kevin picked up the girl. No one knew who she was, but if she was with Terran, she had to be a friend as well.

A friend who had tried to kill them, but the Samurai would figure it all out.

As the boys and Serena headed home, Mia looked over to Emily, seeing the yellow Ranger still looked upset. She approached her, gave her a hug.

"Em…"

"Serrator knows."

"Let's go home. We'll talk there, okay?"

Emily nodded her head and leaned into Mia, sticking close to the pink Ranger as they walked back.


	14. From The Future

Serena sat by her baby boy's beside. Well, he wasn't a baby anymore. Actually, he was still a baby. Really, she needed an aspirin. This situation was extremely confusing to her and everyone else in the house, and she desperately wanted answers. But for now, she sat by her son's bed and tended to him gently. She didn't care if he had tried to kill her and her friends before. Obviously Serrator was behind everything. Obviously he was trying something. No matter what Terran had tried before, Serena wanted to take care of him.

Eventually, his eyes fluttered open and slowly he sit up to have a look around. There was a sense of urgency on his face when he saw he was back in the Shiba House, in a bed, in a room, alone.

"Carrie?" he tried to get up, but a hand on his chest gently pushed him back down.

"Relax, it's fine. We're taking care of her. I promise."

"Where is she?" Terran barked. He swat Serena's hand away and tried again to get up. He knew this was part of Serrator's plan, and therefore part of his plan, but whatever mission he was on was no-good if his cousin wasn't safe. Above all else, Carrie needed to be safe. After all, this was a mission for her. Terran wanted to see his mother; he wanted to have her back in his life alive, but whatever happened, he still had his father back home. He still had at least one parent. Carrie had none and she needed them.

"Terran, calm down," Serena told him and Terran froze. He hadn't told her who he was just yet. She shouldn't have known. He did want her to know. He wanted the Samurai to know exactly who he and Carrie were so they didn't put up much of a fight when he tried to kill them, but he didn't want them to know until he told them.

"How do you know my name?"

"You think I wouldn't recognize my own son?" Serena asked. She lowered him back down on the bed and looked in his eyes, "Terran… do you know what's going on? Why are you… a man?"

Terran gulped as he looked at her. She was nothing like he had imagined – not for this world, at least. In this world, Serrator had described the Samurai as dangerous. He wasn't getting that impression from her at all.

But he remembered Serrator's plan and he stuck with it.

"He killed them," he muttered and looked down at his hands. Serena sat down next to him. She wrapped her arm around him.

"Who?"

"Serrator," Terran looked over to his mother, "Serrator killed… he killed you. He killed you and everyone else. It's just me and dad now. Me, dad, and Carrie."

"If Serrator killed me… wait? What?"

"We're from another world," Terran said. "I mean, obviously. I'm just a baby, right? Serrator came to our world… I guess a long time ago, and he killed you and all the other Samurai. He… I grew up with just dad and Carrie and I just wanted to meet you. I didn't know Serrator killed you, so when he came back… he… he promised I could get you back if we came to this world and killed you."

"Don't trust Serrator, Terran."

"I know that now," Terran nodded his head and sighed, "I'm really sorry about before… the breaking in and tying you up thing. I thought Serrator would help us."

"So, I guess what we saw back there in the forest was…"

"We failed, obviously," Terran shrugged his shoulders, "Serrator wasn't happy and… he let it slip. The truth, he let it slip. We got angry; we tried to attack him but…"

"It's okay," Serena pulled Terran into her arms, "You're here. You're safe now. We'll find a way to get you back home. I'm sure your father misses you."

Terran nodded and looked to his mother again, "Where's Carrie? I need to see her."

"Come with me," Serena got up and let the way out of the room. The hallways seemed to twist and turn for Terran, but Serena knew where she was going. Terran followed her silently as he tried to think of his next move. His thoughts were interrupted though by a scream.

Carrie's scream. Terran bolted past his mother, followed Carrie's cries the rest of the way until he reached a door. He practically knocked the door right off as he stormed into the room and raced to the bed where Carrie laid. Terran quickly noticed she was struggling and he saw her wrists were bound to the bed.

"Let her go!" he shouted to his uncles as he gently cupped Carrie's face in his hands and looked down at her, "Care-bear, it's okay. I'm right here; I won't let them hurt you."

Terran turned back to his uncles and shouted again, "Let her go! She's scared!"

"It's okay," Serena told Mike, Kevin, Jayden, and Antonio. She caught the keys as Antonio tossed them over, and she unlocked the cuffs from Carrie's wrists. Immediately, she jumped into Terran's arms, hugging him tightly as she cried into his shoulder. Terran gently stroked her back as he held her and sunk into the bed with her.

Serena watched Terran comfort Carrie for a moment, smiling at how gentle her son was with her. Already she could see he had been raised to be a good man, and that was all she ever wanted for him.

Then she turned her attention to the boys, "Did you get anything out of her?"

Mike shook his head, "She just woke up and freaked out as soon as she realized she was trapped. Serves her right, though. She tied us up first. And we don't know how dangerous she is. I mean, she freaking morphed."

"That is weird," Serena nodded her head and glanced quickly at the kids, "but I don't think she's dangerous. Serrator tricked them. Terran seems to know the truth now."

"Do you know who she is?" Antonio asked and Serena shook her head. She hadn't gotten the chance to ask yet. Antonio smirked, "We think she's your daughter. You know, in the future."

"My daughter?"

"Well, that is Terran, right? Is it really that hard to believe you and James decided to have another baby?"

Jayden nodded his head, agreeing with Antonio, "We looked her over as we treated her. She does kind of resemble Terran and you. And Terran does seem to be quite… attached to her."

"So, explain the green Ranger thing, then?" Serena asked. "Terran was yellow, which is possible, but how would my daughter be the green Ranger?"

"I don't know; it's the future?" Antonio shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe something happened."

Serena bit her lip and sighed, "Something did happen. Apparently… we're dead."

"Who?"

"All of us," Serena answered, "Terran mentioned it was just him and his dad. James, I'm hoping. The rest of us are dead."

"So maybe she's the green Ranger out of necessity. Maybe they got it to work… somehow."

"Maybe that's why she didn't use Symbol Power," Mike said. "The Samuraizer can't do much for her."

"Do you really think she could be my daughter?" Serena asked.

Jayden gestured to Carrie, "Look at her, Serena. She could pass for your sister. This can't be a coincidence."

Serena did look one more time at Carrie. The boys weren't wrong, there was a strong resemblance. It just didn't feel right.

-Samurai-

Emily cradled Storm's limp body in her arms as she tended to the small dog. Terran, when he had attacked, had promised the dog wasn't dead and that she would wake up eventually, but it had been hours. Emily was starting to worry Terran had done something wrong.

"She'll be fine," Mia assured the yellow Ranger as she brought over some tea. She took a seat on her stool, "Want to talk?"

Emily nodded her head. Even with Storm in her current state, there was still something more important on her mind. Serrator knew she had been pregnant. He also knew she lost the baby.

"You… you didn't say anything, did you?"

Mia shook her head, "Not a word, I swear. I would never betray you like that, Em."

"Sorry," Emily looked back down at her dog, "It's just… you were with him for a long time. And you were the only one. Serena had no idea when he took her."

Mia sat down beside her, "Nighlok are cunning, I don't have to tell you that. Serrator found it. Is it really important how?"

Emily shook her head, "I guess not. I just… I feel like he's laughing at me now. Like he thinks he won something, you know."

"He hasn't won anything."

"He killed my daughter!" Emily shouted. Mia looked to her, a little surprised. She knew Emily had wanted a little girl, but the baby had died at a stage where it was still too early to tell. For Emily to be so specific about her baby worried Mia, no matter the reason.

"Emily…"

"Serrator knew I had a girl," Emily whispered as she calmed herself down from her outburst, knowing it was wrong to snap at Mia. "I don't know how he knows it but… Mia…"

"Shh," Mia nodded her head and pulled Emily into her arms, "You're still going to kick his ass. He's going to know he messed with the wrong mother and he's going to regret it. He's going to regret the day he first met us. I promise."

Emily pulled away from Mia and turned her attention back to Storm, just as the little dog started to stir. Naturally, as Storm woke up she was a little panicked, but she settled once she knew she was near her mistress. She buried herself in Emily's arms, whining softly, and begging for comfort. Emily hugged her dog close and kissed the top of her head. She then looked back at Mia, "Does it still hurt?"

"Does what still hurt?"

"Your dad. You lost him first. Does it still hurt?"

"Every day," Mia nodded her head and managed to smile for Emily, "but it's getting easier."

"Maybe… maybe, if Terran really is Terran from the future… maybe I can ask him if I get another baby. Maybe if I know things work out for me and Mike, I'll feel better."

"Maybe," Mia sighed and then shook her head, "but don't count on it, Em. We have no idea what the future has in store for us. It could change. Just… focus on what you have now, okay? That's what helps me. It gets easier, I promise."

Emily nodded her head slowly, cuddled with Storm, and leaned into Mia. She hoped the pink Ranger was right.


	15. Eyes

Carrie was fuming as she sat in the common room and watched from a distance as the Samurai trained in the dojo. Terran was training with them, bonding as much as he could with his aunts, uncles, and his parents. Carrie hoped he was doing this so they would be completely blindsided when they were murdered, but she had her suspicions. Terran seemed to be enjoying spending time with his mother.

After all, it was easier for him. Serrator didn't want Serena killed, nor did he want Jayden dead. But everyone else was fair game. Carrie's parents were fair game.

It hadn't been easy agreeing to this plan. Carrie longed for her parents so much that the thought of losing them again, even in another dimension had broken her heart slightly. But when Serrator told her what her mother had done, how she had been aborted, Carrie was fuming. Revenge would be sweet; after all, how many children got to come back from the dead to kill their parents? Carrie glared at her mother specifically. She couldn't wait to watch her die.

She turned her attention to her cousin when she saw him walking over. She took a deep breath to calm herself down slightly as he took a seat next to her.

"Tell them who you are," he suggested to her, "C'mon, Carrie, I'm sure they'll…"

"They killed me once. She killed me once," Carrie shook her head, "You're the lucky one. You always have been. I'm going to kill her, Serrator's going to take us back to our world, and my real mom will be waiting for me. Both my parents will. They won't attack me, and they certainly won't kill me."

"Care…"

"I'm going to my room. I want to get this over with quickly. I want to go home. And _I_ want to kill my mother."

"Okay, but when they ask who you are, what do I tell them?"

"I don't care – just as long as I get to see the look on my mom's face when she realizes the mistake she made."

Carrie got to her feet and stormed off down the hall, angrily smashing one of Ji's bonsai from the stands as she left.

She got to her room – at least, the room the Samurai had given her to stay in – and she sat down on the bed. She had to come up with a way to kill her mother – a way to do it painfully and subtly. Serrator wasn't just asking her to kill her mother, but all the Samurai. If Carrie let it slip that she was planning on killing each of the Samurai she was sure they were going to fight back, and they weren't going to pull any punches. After all, her mother had killed her, but they had all let it happen. What would make them stop this time?

As she contemplated many ideas in her head she heard scratching on the floor. Storm had come into the room and jumped up onto her bed. Carrie looked at the dog and her anger grew. She remembered seeing the panic on her mother's face when she had first seen the dog lying still on the table, completely unresponsive. Her mother loved the dog enough to keep her alive, and even worry about her safety, but she would murder her own daughter – her own flesh and blood. With a cry, Carrie smacked the dog, shoved her off the bed and chased her out of the room, threatening to kick her. Storm whined and cried as she ran down the halls. Carrie closed the door to her bedroom and sunk to the ground. She hated this world. She hated it more than she hated the Nighlok who had destroyed her home, more than the Nighlok who had killed her parents in her world. She wanted to leave it all behind – forget about it.

But more than that, she wanted her parents. She wanted kind parents, like the ones Terran had. Back home, his father was still alive, and had given up so much not just for Terran, but for her as well. Alone, and in a world where humans fought on a daily basis just to survive he had raised two babies – neither of which were really his. Not too long ago, he had both Carrie and Terran down and admitted to Terran he wasn't his birth father. It had been hard for Terran to handle at first, but he eventually came around. After all, James had practically been a father to Terran since his birth. So even in spite of that, in spite of the fact that James wasn't really Terran's father, Terran did still have his father around. He had a father, and in this world he had his mother. They weren't going to kill her, and maybe it was a good thing. The way Terran talked about her, it seemed she was a nice person. She was the mother he had always dreamed of.

Carrie couldn't consider herself that lucky. Though James had raised her, he was still her uncle – and not even officially. James had never gotten the chance to marry her Aunt Serena. Carrie still loved him dearly, but she wanted and needed someone from her family. She needed a parent who would care for her like James cared for Terran. She needed the protective father James had told her about, and a kind, loving mother. She wouldn't get that. Not until she went home. Not until she killed everyone in this house.

-Samurai-

"Wow, Terran, you're really good," Mike complemented his nephew as Terran pocketed his Samuraizer and smiled. He had just spared against his Aunt Emily in a Symbol Power contest and he had won. He had surprised his aunts, uncles, and his parents, but most of all, he had surprised himself.

"I guess I'm a little better than I thought," he said, "I've been training really hard for a long time, but I didn't think there was any way I could be as good as you guys. You've had teachers and you've been doing this kind of thing for years."

"You're not that much younger than us," Jayden shook his head, "And past Samurai have been self-taught."

"You're looking at one," Antonio grinned brightly and brushed some imaginary dust from his shoulder.

Jayden chuckled at his boyfriend and looked back at Terran, "Antonio's one of them, and even me, sort of. Ji was great at teaching me what I needed to know, but my father died before he would really show me what I needed to do – how to harness my Fire Symbols. I remember burning myself a lot as a kid."

"Yeah, I broke a few toes," Terran nodded, "Boulders get pretty heavy."

"If you're anything like your Aunt, you've probably also made quite a mess," Serena smiled as she wrapped her arms tightly around her son. Terran could tell from the way she was holding him and the smile on her face that she was proud of him. It was a good feeling, knowing he had made his mother proud. Knowing she cared enough about him to want to see him accomplished, strong, and happy.

Terran nodded his head, "Dad says I'm the perfect combination of you and Aunt Emily. Just last month, dad caught this huge pig and we were going to have a big feast. While he went to the garden to get some vegetables, he left me in charge of the roast. I nearly burned down our cave, and that's not easy to do."

"Yep, you're part Emily, alright," Kevin chuckled and playfully nudged the yellow Ranger. She glared at him.

"I've never almost burned down a cave."

"What about that time you were in the kitchen?"

Emily huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, "Well… it wasn't a cave…"

"So," Mike said as he looked to Terran, ready to change the topic. There was something else on his mind, and now that Terran was a little more comfortable around everyone he thought this was the time to ask it, "That Carrie chick… she's…"

"Yeah, sorry about her," Terran scratched the back of his neck nervously, "She's got a bit of a temper sometimes. I mean, most of the time she's really, really sweet, and a huge pain in the ass, but when she gets fired up… well… yeah."

"Have you met Mike?" Antonio chuckled, "Trust me, we can handle a little anger."

"Not like this, though," Terran shook his head. From what James had told him, Carrie was her father's daughter when it came to her temper. Though it took a lot for her to lose her cool, once she got fired up, the best thing James and Terran could do was seek shelter, and not inside the cave they called home. Though Carrie struggled with her Symbol Power, she was still an Earth Samurai, and still a Forest Samurai. When she lost control, her powers followed. Crops would wither up and die, or they would grow out of control. Terran remembered fighting for his life against a beanstalk once. Carrie's temper would also cause earthquakes, and if she was close to home, cave-ins. Fortunately, it didn't happen often. Fortunately, she did also take after her mother.

"So what's up with her, then?" Mike asked. "I mean, if you're Terran then… who is she?"

"Just…" Terran shrugged his shoulder. Carrie didn't want them to know yet, "She's just someone dad and I rescued after the big war. Just after you guys all died. She was just a little baby. Well, dad says. I was still really little too."

"So, I guess, technically, she is your sister, right?" Antonio asked and he turned to Serena with a smirk on his face.

"Cousin, actually," Terran answered. "She calls dad Uncle James. We're like siblings, though. I did grow up with…" Terran trailed off as he heard something coming his way. It seemed the other Samurai heard it too. Footsteps. Loud, heavy footsteps were pounding into the floor and they were getting closer. Terran spun around, facing the doorway just as Carrie stormed into the room, Spin Sword in hand.

"Carrie!" he shouted and tried to stop her as she raced by him. He wanted the Samurai dead, just like she did, but this wasn't the time. They couldn't take on all of them. One by one, it had to be one by one. She was going to ruin the plan.

Carrie ignored him as she past him and went straight for her mother. Emily, sensing she was the target, lifted her Samuraizer to morph but Carrie was faster. She knocked the Samuraizer from her hand and then swiped at her mother. She slashed the sword across Emily's arm and knocked her down.

"Carrie! Stop it!" Terran shouted and he could see the others getting ready to fight. He shook his head, "No! Don't hurt her!"

He stood in Carrie's defence, putting himself between his cousin and the rest of his family. They knew who he was. He knew they wouldn't want to hurt him – but they thought Carrie was just some stranger. They wouldn't hold back against her. The Samurai relaxed slightly when they saw they were going to have to get through Terran. He had been right. They couldn't fight him.

"Move it, kid," Mike growled at his nephew while from the corner of his eye he could see Emily taking another hit and discovered Carrie was possibly a better fighter than Emily – who was still completely unarmed. It didn't help that Carrie had a Spin Sword in hand, and all Emily could do until she got back to her feet was dodge every swipe and every blow.

"No," Terran shook his head and turned his back to his family, "I can stop this!" he looked to Carrie as she fought against her mother, "Carrie, don't do it!"

"NO!" Carrie shouted. She dropped down and pinned her mother to ground. She held her with one hand and pressed her sword against her neck with the other. Emily struggled for a moment but she knew she was caught. She looked up at Carrie, begging for mercy.

But before she could say anything, she noticed something she hadn't seen before. Carrie had the most beautiful eyes Emily had even seen. In fact, they were even more beautiful than Mike's. Emily looked at them, into them, and then she let herself go. She gave up the fight (though she had already lost). Carrie seemed a little confused when Emily forfeit.

"What are you doing?"

"You have pretty eyes."

"So? Fight! Scream! Beg for your life! Do something!"

"I'm glad you got his eyes," Emily whispered. Carrie looked to her for a moment before she was suddenly lifted off her mother, quickly turning the tables. She kicked and screamed as Terran lifted her and held her tightly.

"Let me go!"

"Carrie, calm down! Please!"

"No, Care, just calm down. Please! They're going to hurt you!" Terran hugged her close as Carrie tried harder and harder to pull away. She had been so close.

Suddenly, she was ripped from Terran's arms and grabbed roughly by Jayden and Kevin. She screamed and kicked and fought as they dragged her down the hallway.

Terran watched her leave and wanted to go after her, tell his uncles to be gentle with her, but his mother gently pulled him into her arms.

"They won't hurt her, I promise," she hugged him warmly.

Mike, Mia, and Antonio gathered around Emily to check up on her. She was bleeding from the few places Carrie had managed to strike her with her sword, and from the tears in Emily's eyes, it seemed she was in quite a bit of pain. Ji and Kate, having heard the noise from their room, raced in as well. While Ji had a look around and caught sight of Serena comforting a distressed Terran, Kate raced to the fallen Emily.

"What hurts, Em?" she asked and helped Mike, Mia, and Antonio clean off the blood to see what the damage actually was.

"Everything," Emily whispered.

"Superficial," Mia said, "Em, she didn't do anything too bad. You're going to be fine."

"It's okay, Em," Mike gently pulled her into his arms. She immediately turned her mouth to his ear and whispered a secret just for him. When she was done, Mike nodded his head and he had to do his best to hold back his own tears.

"We'll fix you up," Mia promised Emily but Mike shook his head. He lifted her up and started carrying her out.

"I got this. Just… don't hurt Carrie, okay?"

"Uh, Mike. Carrie was kind of the one who…"

"Don't touch her," Mike growled. He turned his back to his team and walked out of the room with Emily.


	16. A Family's Escape

Carrie fought furiously against her bonds, screaming loudly, trying to draw someone, anyone, to check up on her but it had been hours and no one would come. Why would they? She had attacked one of them. She had almost killed her own mother. None of the Samurai were safe. No one in the house was safe.

She tried to imagine what was happening to Terran, what was keeping him from coming to her. He was always by her side. He was always there to calm her down – to keep her safe. She had been ripped from his arms and she hadn't seen him since. Were they hurting him? Was it possible her outburst had turned him into the enemy as well; that they no longer believed he was the older version of the little baby they were caring for? Had she put him in danger?

Eventually, she tired herself out. With her outburst had come a release of uncontrollable power: Symbol Power. She hadn't yet mastered either of her two Symbols and struggled to keep them in check when she was furious. Her outburst of power had begun when Jayden and Kevin brought her to the room, and they had used their own Symbols to confine her and her power. The shaking in the room ceased as her breathing slowed and the growing vines and branches from the plants in the room returns to their normal size. Carrie was exhausted. She lay still on the ground. Her hands were bound tightly behind her back and against her body, and her legs were bound together as well. She couldn't get up. She was completely helpless – especially if the Samurai took care of Terran first.

She closed her eyes. This wasn't fair. She just wanted to meet her parents. She wanted to bring them back. She wanted them to love her – to care for her. Now she was losing everything.

Suddenly, she felt a hand touched her back and slowly rolled her over. She tensed up, fearing this was it. The Samurai were going to take care of her – they were going to hurt her, kick her out, maybe even kill her.

"It's okay," a soft voice whispered and she looked up. It was her mother – her mother in this world.

"The others aren't happy," another voice said and she looked down to her legs. Her father cut away the bounds, releasing her feet. He then looked to her, "Bad move going after your mother. She's kind of the heart."

Carrie looked back and forth between her parents, "You… you know? How do you know?"

Emily smiled and helped her sit up, "You have his eyes."

Mike knelt before Carrie and showed her the knife in his hand. She tensed up once more, worried he was going to hurt her. Mike shook his head.

"Terran wouldn't talk, but we did see you with Serrator. Whatever that monster told you, whatever he promised you, it's a lie. If I let you go, are you going to attack Emily?"

Carrie shook her head. She wasn't stupid. She shook her head and closed her eyes as Mike brought the knife closer to her body. The bonds loosened and fell, freeing her arms and her wrists. Before Carrie could even think about what to do now that she was free, she was pulled into a tight hug.

"You're her, aren't you?" Emily asked her. "You're the baby he killed."

"The baby who killed?" Carrie shoved her mother away and looked at each of her parents. Mike touched her arm. Carrie pulled away, "Stop it."

"Serrator lied to you. What did he tell you?"

"How do you know it's a lie?" Carrie huffed, "There's no doubt he wants you dead."

"He's Serrator. He hasn't kept a single promise in his life," Emily said. She grabbed Carrie's hands, "You wanted to kill me. Why?"

"You're not my mother," Carrie muttered. She got to her feet and felt a little shaky. She walked to the door and was about to open it and leave but Mike grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Terran's refusing to talk," Mike shook his head, "and unless he does, you're in trouble."

"He won't talk. He promised me he wouldn't," Carrie said. "Now let me go."

"No one's going to believe us," Mike held Carrie's arm a little tighter, "If we tell them you're our daughter they'll think we're crazy. They'll think we're grasping at straws. There's no way you could be her because she died."

"Because you killed me!" Carrie shouted. Mike instantly let go of her arm and tears poured down Emily's cheeks. Carrie looked at her parents and turned to leave again. This time Emily stopped her, pushing herself between her daughter and the door.

"Carrie Serena, right?" Emily asked and looked into her daughter's eyes, "That's your name. Carrie Serena. You're born in May 2013… or around there."

"Yeah," Carrie nodded, "Congrats, you can count to nine months. It's too bad you couldn't have lasted that long, instead of deciding you didn't want me…"

"What did Serrator tell you?" Emily grabbed her daughter's arms, "Carrie, say it."

"You killed me. You killed me, you're dangerous, and if Terran and I helped him kill you, all of you, he would give me my real parents back. The parents in my world – who loved me enough to let me live. You died for me back home!"

"I never killed you," Emily shook her head, "Carrie, it was an accident! It… it wasn't me. There was a bug around Terran and I swatted it and it stung me…. and a Nighlok, Serrator's Nighlok…"

Emily's whole body trembled as she tried to get the story out, knowing there was a strong chance her daughter didn't believe her. Was that really what her baby thought? That she had intentionally killed her?

"Carrie, the miscarriage just happened here," Mike explained, "Serrator's the one who killed you. Your mother and I…"

"You're not my parents," Carrie shook her head.

Mike turned to his bed, where the presents his and Emily's parents had sent were sitting. Mike picked up what would have been his daughter's blanket and showed it to Carrie, "Please say this is familiar."

Carrie looked to the blanket and nodded her head. Hers was old now. It was faded and worn out, but she remembered being a little kid. She remembered being terrified during the night, and her uncle would wrap her up in her soft, warm blanket. He told her her mother had given it to her the day she was born and that it would keep her safe. Carrie snatched the blanket from Mike's hand.

"Why do you have this?"

"Why do you think? We planned on having you. Your mother stepped down as yellow Ranger. She did everything in her power to keep you safe. Carrie, we never wanted to lose you."

"We still don't," Emily shook her head, "Everyone's pissed. I don't know what they're going to do, but they're never going to believe us. We're going to get you somewhere safe."

"Where could that possibly be?"

"My parents," Emily took her daughter's hand, hoping she was coming around, "They'll believe me. They have to. We'll take you there. You'll be away from the city so the Nighlok can't find you. You'll be away from the Samurai so you don't get hurt, and my parents will keep you safe from Serrator. I promise."

"Anyone know where Mike and Emily are?" Mia's voice said on the other side of the door. "I checked their room and they aren't there."

"Haven't seen them."

Mike grabbed the girls and started pulling them to the window, "We've got to go now. Before they find us."

"We'll keep you safe," Emily told her daughter and helped her out the window, "I promise. You just have to trust us. Please."

"But I'm supposed to kill you."

"Please, Carrie. Just for now."

Carrie sighed and nodded her head. At least if she left with her parents, there would be no one around to stop her killing them.


	17. Gone

Carrie followed her parents through the city until they reached a building. Mike held the door open as Emily and Carrie walked inside. Once they were all in, Mike pulled out his wallet and walked up to one of the workers behind the glass.

"What is this place?" Carrie asked her mother.

"The bus station. Mike and I don't really drive, so we're going to take the bus up to my parents' place," Emily answered. She took Carrie's hand and gave her a warm smile, "We'll figure something out, okay? I'm not going to let Serrator hurt you, and I'm not going to force you to go home empty handed."

"What about Terran?" Carrie thought of her cousin who was still back at the Shiba House. Though he had spent most of his life protecting her, Carrie did worry for him and felt a lot more comfortable when he was by her side. She wanted to know he was safe.

"Serena's never going to hurt him," Emily wrapped her arm around Carrie's shoulder, "Don't worry about him, okay. If all goes well, he might even join you with… well, with your grandparents."

Mike walked over to the girls and handed them each a ticket, "Bus comes in five minutes. We want to make sure we all get a seat."

"Not many people head out to the country, Mike," Emily chuckled, "We'll get a seat, trust me."

"Three tickets… you guys are coming with me?" Carrie looked to both of her parents as they nodded.

"Of course. We won't be able to stay, but a granddaughter their daughter's age turning up on their doorstep with no explanation about what happened will be kind of suspicious. Nighlok are tricky buggers. Never trust them, Care."

"It's not like I have much to lose," Carrie shrugged her shoulders, "Why do I care about what happens in this world anyways? Serrator promised…"

"Why do you still believe him?" Emily asked.

"I've got to believe someone."

"So you'll believe a Nighlok over us? Over your parents? I'm sorry I lost you, Carrie. I'm sorry we died in your world, but Serrator's…"

"He promised me something you can't ever give me. I'll take my chances," Carrie shook her head and looked out the window, seeing a big bus pull up in the station, "Is that it?"

"Yeah," Mike sighed. Carrie started for the doors. Mike and Emily looked to each other sadly as they followed her. Mike took Emily's hand gently, "I don't want you alone with her. She tried to kill you once already, and if she still believes Serrator..."

"She's my daughter, Mike. I…"

"Remember how you felt when your mother left you? She's vulnerable, Em. She's scared, and she's right, Serrator is offering her something we'll never be able to give her. She's got to go home at some point. How long can two Terrans live in the same world? And I'm sure James misses them. Are we going to go with her? We can't be her parents, Em. We will never be her parents."

"Mike!"

"You know what I mean, Em. I want what's best for her, and we're not it. We'll help her. We'll get her off Serrator's radar and we'll keep her safe. I'm not losing our daughter to him twice. But we're not keeping her. We can't."

Emily boarded the bus silently, trying to hold back her tears. Mike was right, she knew he was, and she hated him for that. She looked down the aisle, where Carrie had already chosen a seat at the very back of the bus and was staring out the window, and then put her hand to her stomach. Why did she have to lose her baby?

-Samurai-

"C'mon, Em," Serena tapped her foot impatiently as she tried again to call her sister's Samuraizer, but it seemed it had been turned off. Her Samuraizer was off, Mike's was turned off. Either they were both hurt, or they didn't want to be found. When the call went to voicemail, Serena hung up and launched her Samuraizer at the wall. Terran watching his mother, slightly horrified.

"Maybe some of Carrie's rage does come from you," he muttered to himself. Serena turned to him.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Terran, please," Serena got down on her knees in front of her son, "Do you know anything?"

"Why Uncle Mike and Aunt Emily suddenly disappeared? No," he shook his head. He could see she was worried and upset, but he couldn't say anything. Emily and Mike had disappeared as well Carrie. He hoped this was Carrie's doing, and she had lured her parents away from the others to kill them, and if it was, giving the Samurai any information about her could compromise the plan. Though he was starting to care deeply for his family here, he still wanted to do as Serrator had asked because he wanted them home with him. This world would mean nothing to him once he was back home, and if there was a chance he could get all he wanted, he would take it. He had nothing to lose.

Serena took his hands and held them tightly, "Terran, sweetie, there are very few things in this world that mean everything to me. Of course, you're one of them, but so is your aunt. Please, Ter. What do you know? Why did Carrie try to hurt her? Why are they all gone?"

Before Terran had a chance to answer, all the others returned home. Disappointed looks told Serena no one had found anything.

"We've looked everywhere we could think of," James told his fiancée as he sat down with her and pulled her into his arms, "but we also didn't find any signs of struggle."

Serena continued to look at her son, "Please, Terran."

"I don't know anything."

Kevin glared at the boy from behind and crossed his arms over his chest. Something didn't feel right.


	18. Serrator's Fool

From the window at the back of the bus, Carrie could see the city and already it was obvious how much she was missing back in her world. The battle between the Nighlok and the humans had left the planet in ruins, her city especially. Humanity was doing it's very best to rebuild everything, but they found they had to start from scratch. Carrie had spent most of her life living in a cave, with her Uncle going out every day in search of food and resources. In her eighteen years a small town had been built, but money was a thing of the past – to own something, you needed to own something. Trading goods and foods was the only way to receive goods and foods. She didn't know a better life before now, and had learned to make the best of it. She had learned to be happy with her cousin and her Uncle, but she always knew she needed more, and she hoped getting her parents back could help fill that void. She would do anything for them.

This world had it all. In spite of the monster attacks, the city was incredible. The homes were big, the shops were beautiful, and Carrie didn't need to give away a week's worth of food just to get her Uncle or her cousin a birthday present every year. These people had money, they had homes, they had friends, families and even comforts. When Carrie had woken up in the bed, before she found herself locked to it, she had noticed how comfortable the mattress was.

And she couldn't even been soothed by the thought that another version of herself got to enjoy all these luxuries. Unlike Terran, she was dead in this world. Unlike Terran, she had never even been born. Killed long before her time – supposedly by her own mother, but Carrie was starting to have her doubts.

She shook them from her head. It didn't matter who had killed her – her mother was the enemy. To get her back – to see her alive again and have her home with her for good - Carrie needed to kill this one. And the same went for her father. If she ever wanted to have a real father like Terran, she needed to kill this one.

There weren't many people on the bus, and only two of them were trained Samurai. If Carrie could manage to once again summon her Spin Sword she would scare the civilians and she could overpower her parents, who it seemed didn't want to hurt her. She could have them both killed in a matter of minutes, and the others would soon follow.

She pulled her Samuraizer from her pocket and inspected it thoughtfully, wishing she had paid more attention when Terran had tried to teach her Symbols. She had managed to draw her sword once, but it had been out of anger. She was angry again, but this was different. This wasn't the kind of anger that would give her power, mostly because it was a conflicted anger. She wasn't sure she was really mad at these parents. After all, it had crossed her mind that they didn't want to hurt her.

"Doesn't matter," she muttered, "Kill them, and I'll get my real parents back."

Just as she stood up, ready to try anything, the bus came to a screeching halt, forcing people to fall forward against the seat in front of them. Carrie stumbled slightly, but grabbed the head of the seat before her and stood on her feet. At first there was confusion, but as people leaned over to see what had caused the sudden stop they began to panic. Using the emergency exits, they fled from the bus, leaving only Carrie and her parents.

"It's Serrator," Mike looked to Emily and then to Carrie, "Run."

"Carrie, this way," Emily said as she grabbed Carrie's arm and led her to the door at the back of the bus. Mike was a step behind them, but once they were out safely, Emily ran with Carrie to seek shelter while Mike stood in the open.

Serrator grinned, "I'm not here to fight. I'm here to speak with your daughter. Out of my way, green Ranger."

"Over my dead body," Mike growled and morphed instantly. He drew his sword, "You brought her here! You tricked her! Tell her, Serrator. Tell her how every word that comes out of your mouth is a lie."

"Is the yellow Ranger still with child?" Serrator asked with a sly smirk, "Was I not right about that?"

From their hiding place, Emily turned to Carrie, "Seriously, you're going to believe him over us?"

"I just want my parents," Carrie nodded her head. She stood up, exposing herself to Serrator when he called her name.

Serrator gave her a warm smile that comforted her but sickened Mike and Emily. He looked to Carrie, "You're taking too long. I expected at least one of them dead by now."

"I'm trying!"

"I'm going to help you speed things up," Serrator said. He held his hand out in Mike's direction and the green Ranger froze solid, stiff as ice. Carrie looked to her father and then back to Serrator.

"What are you doing?"

"One on one. You have your chance now," Serrator tossed Carrie his sword, knowing full-well about her weakness with Symbol Power, "Show me I put my faith in the right person. Your mother killed you, after all. It's only right you return the favour."

"I would never…" Emily cried but suddenly her lips stuck together. Touching her face, she recognized the goop from when Serrator had silenced Serena. There was a way to get it off, Kate had discovered, but it was painful and Emily couldn't do it on her own. Her eyes widened in horror. She couldn't fight Serrator's words. She couldn't argue with him. She couldn't convince Carrie he was lying.

"You work for me," Serrator said to Carrie, "and if you ever want to see your parents alive again, I suggest you do what I ask. Start with Yellow and then Green. Do not fail me again!"

Just as suddenly as he had appeared, Serrator was gone, but he left his sword in Carrie's hands. His argument was convincing enough for her. She looked down at her sword and then to her mother, "You let me die. I don't care what happened! You were supposed to protect me!"

Emily shook her head as tears streamed down her cheeks. It had been an accident and Emily had never felt worse about it than she did at this very moment. Serrator's cruel schemes had brought her daughter back from the dead, and it seemed this plan was going to end once again with Emily never getting her baby. Carrie looked more than ready to see her die and Emily couldn't bring herself to fight.

Carrie approached her mother – it was now or never. She couldn't disappoint Serrator. If she did, then it didn't matter what she did, she would never see her parents. Serrator would make sure she was orphaned for the rest of her life. That was the last thing Carrie wanted. She couldn't go back home to her life, knowing there was nothing for her. As she raised her sword, she felt something strike her right in the back of the shoulder. It forced her to drop the sword, and then she was hit again.

"Carrie!" she heard Terran's voice shout just as she was hit a third time. She could make out that it was arrows, the blue Ranger's arrows, and she knew he was trying to protect her mother. She also knew they hurt. As she fell to the ground, her mother dropped with her, catching her before she hit the pavement.

"I knew there wasn't something right with this," Kevin growled as he prepared to fire another arrow.

Terran was in tears as he watched. He fought against his mother's hold and screamed to Kevin, "Please don't hurt her!"

"Then tell us who she is!" Kevin shouted and aimed his next arrow to Terran. He was suddenly smacked forcefully in the chest by a stone that knocked him off his feet and into the pavement. He looked up and wasn't surprised to see a morphed Serena standing protectively before her son.

"Threaten him again, I dare you," Serena growled.

"We're dealing with Serrator!" Kevin cried and he was helped to his feet by Mia and Jayden, "What are the odds that that's really Terran? This could all be a lie! Our Terran is safe and sound at home, I say we just finish these guys off before they tear us apart and we forget this happened. Starting with her."

"NO!" Terran shouted and tried to get past his mother, but Serena held him back. "No, please! You can't hurt her!"

"Then who is she?"

While the Rangers were distracted, and knowing her mother was defenceless, Carrie weakly reached out and picked up her sword. Emily, who held her in her arms, saw this and looked down at her, pleading she reconsider.

"I have nothing to lose," Carrie shook her head.

With the others, Terran looked to his Uncle. It took too long for him to answer so Kevin turned his arrows back to Carrie and fired everything he had.

Carrie was too focused on her mother to see the attack coming, but as she was about to plunge her sword into Emily's heart, Emily moved suddenly, covering Carrie's body with her own. At first Carrie was confused but then an explosion rang loudly in her ears and a blast launched her through the air. When she hit the ground again, her body ached, but considering she had been right at the center of an explosion, she was perfectly fine.

"CARRIE!" her name sounded like she was underwater and someone was calling for her from the surface. Before she could make out who was calling her, she was pulled into his arms. Terran's arms. She could recognize them anywhere. He held her warmly, he kept her safe. When he was sure she was alive he gently pushed her away and looked her over, "Are you okay? Carrie, say something."

"I'm fine," she grunted and closed her eyes, hoping the world would stop spinning for just a moment. "What happened?"

"He shot you," Terran pulled her back into his arms, "Uncle Kevin aimed his shot right at you. You should be dead."

"I… I…"

"It's okay," Terran gently whispered to her as he rocked her gently, "It's okay. I'm right here. I won't let them hurt you again. I promise. We'll kill them and we'll go home, and whatever happens everything's going to be…"

"Why aren't I dead?" Carrie asked. She pushed away from Terran and had a look around. Her heart stopped beating, all the blood drained down into her feet. The world did stop, but not in a good way. She let out a hellish scream. Her mother had sacrificed herself for her, just like back home. Just like she had done when Carrie had been a little baby. Her father had died protecting her mother, and her mother had died protecting her.

Serrator had played her.


	19. The Ball Starts Rolling

"Th-th-thanks," Mike shivered as he was handed a mug of warm tea and Mia draped a blanket over his shoulders, then sat down beside him and pulled him into his arms to keep him warm. When Serrator had frozen him he had literally been frozen. Jayden needed to use his flames to thaw Mike and now the green Ranger was freezing cold – desperate for any kind of warm. He took a sip of the tea and then looked across the room. Curled up in a corner with Terran, looking extremely, worried was Carrie. Understandably she was worried and even scared. She had just survived an attack that was usually reserved for killing Nighlok. The only reason she had survived was her mother. Carrie had been minutes away from killing her mother, and yet Emily had still covered her, kept her safe, kept her alive.

Mike wanted to be angry with Carrie. Mike wanted to hate her. He wanted to kick her out of the house, but she was his daughter. His full grown adult daughter but his daughter no less. Emily was hurt because she didn't want to see Carrie hurt. Mike had to honour her wishes, and he wanted to honour her wishes. This was Serrator's doing – Serrator's plan. Carrie had been badly manipulated. Serrator had said all the right things to hurt her and to make her feel like her parents were the enemy. Carrie was just as much the victim as Emily. If anything, Carrie was more hurt by everything than Emily.

"Care," he whispered but she didn't move. Mike handed Mia his tea as he got up and walked over to his daughter. He asked Terran to move aside as he took his daughter in his arms, "Your mother's the strongest person I know. She's been through worse."

"Worse than being blown to pieces?"

"In a way."

Carrie shook her head, "Why couldn't Serrator have just been right?"

"Do you really want his lies to be true?" Mike asked her and gave her a loving squeeze.

By the table, Kevin sat on his stool. He held his head up with his hands and stared at his Hydro Bow. The scene played over and over in his mind. He had aimed for Carrie. He wanted to hit Carrie, but he forgot to take Emily into account. When he shot, he fired at Carrie, but Emily jumped in the way. He hit Emily, he hurt Emily. The team understood his intention at first – Carrie had been about to kill Emily, Serrator was a part, which was never good, and Terran's refusal to speak had really put a big question mark over Carrie's identity, and even his own. Kevin had no choice but to take the shot.

Then it hit Emily and already Kevin realized his mistake, but it got even worse when Carrie, who had just been about to kill Emily, cried out for her mother and desperately tried to wake her up, and Terran, in his rage, shouted everything: the truth about Carrie, the lies Serrator had spun, their desperation for a family and how that led them to believe Serrator's deal. Though these two kids were the Samurai's age, they were just kids; kids desperately looking for a home.

He looked over to Mia. She avoided eye contact with him, and had since the truth had come out. Why would she want to look at him. Not only had he maybe killed her best friend but he had also torn a parent from a child. Kevin knew the circumstances were different, but Mia's father's death was still so fresh in her mind that it didn't matter. Now Mia wouldn't look at him, she wouldn't talk to him – no one would.

"I'll kill him, Em," Kevin whispered as the Hydro Bow suddenly vanished. "I'll make sure he pays for this. We all will."

As he walked out of the common room, wanting to train for a bit outside, he bumped into Serena. Understandably the white Ranger was pissed. Kevin's slight accidental run in with Serena caused her to shove him into a wall.

"Watch where you're going," Serena told him and walked into the common room. Kevin stood up straight and rubbed his shoulder before heading into the dojo.

Serena sat down on her stool and put her head in her hands. She took a deep breath.

"How is she?" Mike asked. Serena looked up and then reached into her pocket. She pulled out Emily's Samuraizer and set it on the table.

"Anyone want to be yellow?"

"Stop it, Serena," James shook his head as he walked into the room and snatched up Emily's Samuraizer. "All of you quit it. Emily's going to be fine; you have to trust that she will be. Even if she wasn't, do you really think she'd want us all to fall apart again? Snap out of this!"

"Snap out of this? James…"

"Emily was temporary leader, right?" James asked, "And she led the team for one reason. She wanted to see Serrator destroyed. If you guys fall apart, that day's never going to come! All you're going to do is cry and whine and you're going to fill up the Sanzu River. You're going to help Serrator with his plan to flood the Earth! We still have that weak point to worry about! As a matter of fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Serrator was out there now convincing Dekker to put an end to all of this."

The team looked to each other sadly. James was right. They were all hurting, and they were all scared, but they had to keep pushing forward. Until Serrator had struck with this cruel scheme of bringing back the kids, they had had a good momentum going. They had to get the momentum back. They needed to get their momentum back. All at once they nodded their heads and James let out a heavy sigh. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the notes he had written, "Phew, I didn't want to have to use these."

Carrie looked to her father, who was still holding her warmly, and then she looked over to Terran. Now that she knew she had been lied to, she had no intention of killing the Samurai or her parents. Serrator had told her they were dangerous and that they had killed her, but that couldn't have been the truth. Her parents had done all they could to help her escape. Her parents had promised to help her. Her parents had kept her safe. Mike had tried and failed to protect his two girls, and Emily had put her life on the line so Carrie could live – just like what had happened eighteen years ago. Her parents here, and her parents back home were the same parents. The only difference that existed between the worlds was that Serrator had killed Carrie in this one.

"I want to help."

"Care," Terran shook his head, "You're barely…"

"Dad can help me with my Symbols and the green Ranger stuff," Carrie looked to Terran hopefully, "And Aunt Serena can teach me the Earth Symbols. I can get my Symbols under control, I can learn to morph, and I can help these guys stop Serrator."

"Carrie," Mike turned his daughter around and looked her in the eyes, "Serrator's one of the strongest Nighlok we've ever faced. He's kicked our entire team's ass several times. If you go out there… you might never come back."

"So?"

"So," Terran turned Carrie back around, "When I go back, what am I going to tell my dad? We dimension hopped and I let you get killed?"

"We have to help, Terran! I have to help. Uncle James will understand."

Serena picked up Emily's Samuraizer. She wouldn't be using it for a while. She got up, walked over to her niece and held it out for her, "How does yellow sound?"

"Mom's…?" Carrie looked up, shock written on her face, "You… you want me to use mom's… but I have one, I…"

"Two green Rangers will get kind of confusing," Serena shook her head, "And it'll put a huge target on your back. Trust me, when I first appeared as the white Ranger, everyone was after me. Be yellow, blend in."

Carrie took the Samuraizer in a shaky hand and smiled. Green was her colour, but if she needed to wear yellow to help the team and kill Serrator, she would gladly wear it. When she took it, Serena knelt before her and looked her right in the eyes.

"Before you go into battle, though, you'll need training, and a hell of a lot of it. Your mother was one of the best yellow Rangers. Make her proud."

"I'm sure she will," Mike gave his daughter another hug, "C'mon, Care. I couldn't help but notice you already know how to kick ass. Let's see if there's anything we can work on."

"I'll be there in a couple of hours to go over Symbols," Serena smiled. As Mike and Carrie left, Serena dropped back down on her stool and put her head in her hands, "Lord help him."

"I'm sure she can do it," James put his hand on her back. "She's a combination of Mike and Emily. Serrator won't know what hit him."

Serena nodded her head and smiled, "Exactly. The poor bastard's schemes are going to be the end of it. I'll make sure of it."

"I think we all want to kick Serrator's ass," Mia said. She opened up the map and zoomed into where Serrator wanted to crack the Earth open, "But first, Dekker."

"Is he back?" Serena asked.

Mia shook her head, "No, but it's been a while. I have a feeling he'll be back soon. Serrator's going to want to rub salt in our wounds."

"Mom?" Terran called nervously and Serena turned her attention to her older son, "Is everything going to be okay?"

"We're going to figure it all out, Terran, just watch us," Serena gave him a smile and then gestured to the hallway, "Why don't you go check up on your aunt? I'm sure she'd love a visit from her favourite nephew."


	20. Bond Between Parent and Child

Terran knocked gently on the bedroom door and he felt somewhat out of place as he stepped into the room. Just the day before it had been his intention to see nearly everyone in the house dead and now he was here in his aunt's bedroom hoping she would pull through. His mother had suggested he visit, insisting it would help Emily or cheer her up, but Terran didn't see how. She wasn't even awake yet.

"Hey," a woman, Kate, whispered softly and invited him to take a seat. She was looking over Emily, keeping her company with little Terran on her lap. He had a crayon and a colouring book in front of him, and though it was mostly the crayon taking a beating, he did leave some colours on the page. Kate chuckled when the older Terran looked at the work, "You're doing your best to make a get well soon card. Your fine motor skills aren't exactly tuned for this yet."

"How old am I?"

"Ten months," Kate smiled and kissed the little boy's head, "You're so adorable. You look just like your mother. And you've got this whole house wrapped around your tiny fingers."

"That's great," Terran muttered. He didn't care that much about what he could have had. He was just here to check up on Emily. He just wanted to pass the time, to figure things out – maybe to come up with a way to convince Carrie that fighting in a war she had no business fighting in was a bad idea. He didn't want to see her get hurt.

"You know who I think loves you the most?" Kate asked. Terran leaned back in his chair and shrugged his shoulders. "Emily."

"What about my parents?"

"Of course they love you," Kate chuckled, "More than anything in this world, Terran. All three of them. Four of them."

"Four?"

"I wasn't there," Kate nodded her head, "but your first father was Mike. Before your parents started dated, but things were serious enough for your dad to take on a bigger role in your life, your uncle Mike was going to be the one to step up to the plate. And as for your Aunt Emily, well, she was there the moment you came out. You were born into her arms."

"Really?" Terran asked as he looked over to his aunt. His father had never told him this story.

"I heard it was a rough night for everyone," Kate nodded, "Some big bad Nighlok thought it would be a good idea to kidnap your mother and force her to give birth to you early. Your aunt and uncle got to her in time and helped with the delivery. I assume you know your birds and bees and what comes next."

"Ew, yeah."

"It's a strong bond," Kate smiled. She got up and put Terran on the older Terran's lap. "You love your Auntie Emy."

She gave the older Terran a kiss on the cheek, "I'll give you some privacy."

Terran nodded his head and watch Kate leave. Then he looked down at his younger self, who was offering him a crayon.

"I don't colour."

Terran stuck the crayon up his nose and then threw himself forward, towards the bed. The older Terran did his best to hold on. He didn't want to hurt himself. Little Terran climbed on the bed and then crawled up to his aunt.

"Uh, mini-me, I don't think you should be messing around with…" Terran trailed off as he watched himself lie down on his aunt's chest and snuggle in gently. He was just a baby, but he seemed to know to be careful. "Just, don't pull anything out or mess up the wires or… anything," Terran told himself. He looked into his little eyes, "You do love her, don't you?"

"It's also nap-time," James announced as he walked into the room to collect his baby son. "Sometimes Terran falls asleep in Emily's arms."

Just as James was about to lift the little boy up, Terran grabbed his father's arm and shook his head, "Please don't."

"Terran…?"

"If something happens to her, at least he'll have this moment," Terran said, "He… he won't remember it, but I will."

James put his hand on his son's shoulder, "She's going to be fine. Don't worry."

"She's died on me once before," Terran shrugged his shoulders and looked to his father. James sat down next to his son and wrapped his arm around him.

"Trust me, kid. You can try to get that little monster out of your life, but she's not going anywhere. None of us are."

"Especially you," Terran muttered. He turned to his father, "Dad…?"

"Yeah, buddy."

"One day, you're going to tell me I'm not your son. You're going to tell me about Dekker and what he did to mom and… I'm going to get really, really mad at you."

"I know," James nodded.

"But… you're my dad, okay. Please, please don't leave my mom."

"I'm not planning on it," James gave his son a tight hug. Those words would never be forgotten. "I love you, son."

"I love you too, dad."

-Samurai-

Carrie launched her Samuraizer across the room, feeling a sense of failure wash over her. She could fight, and she got the basics of her Symbol Power, but she couldn't do anything big or complicated. She couldn't call upon deep powers, which she was sure she was going to need to defeat Serrator once and for all.

"It's durable, but not indestructible," Serena shook her head as she picked up the Samuraizer and looked to her niece, "You definitely have your father's temper."

"Hey, that temper's not all mine," Mike said as he walked up to his daughter and offered her some water, "You're not exactly level-headed either. I'm starting to wonder why Emily would put up with any of us."

Carrie took her water and took a seat on the bench, "I can't do this. Serrator's going to know it's me and he's going to laugh at me."

"He's always laughing," Mike said, "It's like he's got a grin just plastered on his face or something. It's kind of creepy."

"Kind of?" Serena shook her head, "You know how terrifying it is to wake up to that face in the morning?"

Carrie put her head in her hands, "I don't know why I thought I could do this."

Mike sat down beside her and he put his hand on her back, "I wasn't awesome with Symbol Power when I first started. I mean, my first day here, I couldn't even draw a Symbol properly. The others had to teach me my own elements. It's a tricky thing."

"But we need power. I've only been in your world for a little while and even I know Serrator's strong. If I can't help…"

"You are going to help, I promise," Serena knelt before her niece and smiled, "You're going to make us all so proud."

"The power's inside of you already," Mike gave his daughter a smile and a warm one armed hug, "I mean, your uncle Kevin and Aunt Mia didn't have a kid together, right?"

"They died before they could," Carrie shook her head. Mike's smile grew.

"That makes you the only Samurai ever to harness two Symbol Powers. Carrie, you're the combined strength of the Earth and the Forest. Look around you, kiddo. Everything you see, you control."

"He's not wrong," Serena nodded and smiled, "That's a lot of power inside of you. All you need to do is focus. You're the daughter of two amazing Samurai."

"Aw, Serena…"

"One amazing Samurai," Serena corrected herself and Mike pouted. She chuckled slightly and lifted her niece's chin, "Look, little Monkey, when it's time to go out there, I want you to do your very best. You're an amazing fighter. You kicked your father's ass."

"It's kind of beat or be beaten back home," Carrie shrugged her shoulders. "I mean, the Nighlok have kind of given up, but sometimes they do surface. And some people are really desperate for food and shelter and stuff. I once fought three guys out of our cave single handed."

Mike hugged her tight, "Aw, you are my daughter. You're a violent, angry little thing. I'm so proud."

"Dad… get off…"

"Aw, and you hate affection!"

"Seriously, dad, you're embarrassing me. Stop it."

Serena shook her head and groaned, "This is creepy. They're like… ew, my baby sister spawned a Mike. She is never having another kid."

"Stop it!" Carrie finally managed to get her father to back off and she got up. She picked up one of the training swords and swung it around, "Aunt Serena, I really don't think this is going to be enough to destroy Serrator."

"Of course not," Serena chuckled, "We're going to use the sharp swords."

"I mean I can't be enough to defeat Serrator. You need mom's help, not mine…"

As Carrie whacked a dummy half-heartedly, Mike got up and stood beside Serena, "She's not all me. Eyes: yes; personality, yes. Heart?"

"Hers."

Mike nodded his head and approached his daughter, "You're mother's not the greatest either, you know. I mean, she's amazing, but she's not the swordsman or the Symbol pro or even the fighting champ."

"She's the heart," Carrie rolled her eyes, "Yeah, Uncle James told me."

"You've got her heart."

"Heart? Dad, I tried to kill her. Murder her. I'm a killer."

"No you're not," Mike shook his head, "You're a scared kid who's in way over her head, and all you want to do right now is make your mother proud."

Carrie looked at her sword and sighed. She did want to make her mother proud. She wanted to make both of her parents proud. Mike came over to her and he slowly pulled the sword from her hands.

"Care, you can do this. Serrator's not going to know what hit him. And you're going to have a whole team behind you, supporting you. You're going to kick Serrator's ass, I promise."

"And what if I can't?"

"I'll be right here with you," Mike promised. He took her hand, "I'm not letting you fail."

Carrie looked up at her father. Tears welled up in her eyes and she threw herself into father's arms.

"I won't let you down, daddy."


	21. Kill 'Em With Kindness

Kevin pulled himself up from the couch as the sun blinded him in the early morning, pulling him from an uncomfortable sleep. Assuming the others wanted nothing to do with him after he had shot Emily and almost killed her on the spot, he slept on the couch and away from everybody else.

Normally Emily fed the dog in the morning. Kevin, though, assumed that since she couldn't do so, he would take care of Storm for her. It was bad enough Emily was hospitalized because of him, but he wouldn't let her dog starve or fall ill or feel neglected. Storm was Emily's furry baby, she would be furious if something happened to her. But as Kevin got up and walked to the dog bed, Storm was nowhere in sight. He called her name softly, hoping she would come out of hiding. When he discovered she wasn't in the common room at all, Kevin knew the only other place she could be. He walked down the hall and found her sitting just outside Emily's door – begging to be let it. Kevin approached her to pick her up and carry her into the kitchen, but when Storm saw him coming she cowered and growled. Recently, she had been slapped, chased, and almost kicked by one of the humans in the house.

Storm had quickly learned that all the humans in her house were friendly. No one who was invited into the home was a threat to her or to her masters – and if they were, her masters would make it clear. She was a very smart dog, and had learned to pick up on her humans' emotions. She knew when they were happy, or angry, or scared, or when they needed comfort. She also knew they would never hurt her and they would never let anything hurt her. That changed the minute Carrie had struck her. Storm had run and Carrie had chased her out of the room, threatening to hurt her more. Storm knew not to bite and preferred to run, and fortunately for herself and for Carrie, she had an exit. Unfortunately, no one had come to comfort or protect her since. She didn't know it, but they had been so busy with Carrie and Terran they had no idea Storm had been by herself, crying, and scared. As a result, Storm no longer trusted humans like she could before. One had struck her and so they were all going to have to earn her trust back, especially the ones she spent less time with.

Kevin was one of them. Storm growled, whined, and cried as he approached her. When he reached to pick her up, she barked loudly and snapped at his hand. She was quick, but Kevin was just a little quicker.

"Storm!" he scolded. Storm barked, growled and lunged for his ankles, hoping to bite him again. Kevin danced around, avoiding her teeth until he could turn and run. Storm chased him down the hallway for a moment but when he was gone she settled. She sat down by the wall, keeping her eyes on the activity in the hallway, ready to snap at whatever unfortunately soul threatened her next.

Kevin had run to the kitchen. When he got there he rested his hands on the counter and sighed. It was bad enough he felt the whole house was mad at him – but the dog was now too. He had always know Storm was smart; at least, she had been able to outsmart Mike many times, but he had no idea she was that smart. He assumed she had picked up on the other's anger towards him and was projecting it. He assumed she knew he had been the one to hurt her mistress and now she was trying to protect her.

Taking a seat on the bar stool, Kevin groaned. The scene played again in his head. He could see Carrie with her sword, ready to plunge it into Emily and kill her off. She had tried to kill Emily once before already, and had Kevin not acted he was sure Carrie would have succeed. He had shot at her, trying to kill. Not only had that, in itself been a mistake because Carrie was human, and Kevin was a killer of Nighlok, not of human, but he had forgotten all about Emily, and the danger he had put her in. Even if Emily hadn't tried to protect Carrie, she would have gotten hurt. Not as badly as she had been, but it still would have been pretty bad.

But there was everything else that Kevin could think about now that he hadn't of thought about before. In the moment, it was hard to keep his thoughts straight. Hindsight was always twenty-twenty, and his hindsight was telling him the signs had been flashing everywhere that Emily would protect Carrie. The first time Carrie had attacked her, when Emily had been pinned and inches away from death, she had surrendered, whispering something no one else could hear to Carrie. Then, when Carrie was supposed to be locked away in a room, Emily, with Mike's help, had aided her escape and took her all the way out to town. Mike later told Kevin they had been trying to get Carrie away from danger until they could do something more to help her.

Then, the biggest, brightest, flashiest sign of all had been staring Kevin in the face as he fired the deadly arrows. Emily had been holding an injured Carrie in her arms gently, as though comforting her after Kevin shot her with the first few arrows. Emily had a heart of gold, and he knew opened herself up easily to people, but only if they treated her kindly. Carrie had done nothing of the sort, and still Emily seemed to want to protect her, to care for her.

All the signs had been there and Kevin had still shot. He fired the arrows and watched as Emily covered Carrie with her own body. The space around her exploded in flames and water, a scream was heard over the boom, and then silence. Silence until Carrie's cry.

"_**MOM!"**_

Not only had Kevin shot and almost killed Emily, but his intended target, Carrie, was her daughter. Eventually, someday, in the distant future, he hoped the others could forgive him, but he was sure any relationship he had with Mike and with Emily was completely shattered.

And, though Emily was being well looked after, there was still a chance she didn't make it. If she did die, and Mia found herself comforting Carrie, who didn't seem to want to leave until Serrator was dead, Kevin wasn't sure he would ever earn his fiancée's forgiveness either. What he had done to Carrie would have been exactly like what Dayu had done to Mia. A parent would be dead.

He was thinking way too far ahead. Emily was strong, she had the best family taking care of her, and if she had survived the initial boom it was likely she would survive the recovery, but his mind jumped around to different scenarios. All of which were bad.

Suddenly, he heard a knock. He looked around and saw Kate had knocked on the counter to grab his attention. He jumped to his feet and rushed to the stove, "I can make breakfast. It's the least I can…"

"Emily wants to talk to you," Kate said.

Kevin looked horrified. She was awake. She was alive. She wanted to talk to him? Had he shot her in the head? Was she really okay? Was he going to get an earful or was Emily going to force him to sit with her and look at her scars? She knew he cared for her. She was everyone's little sister. She was his little sister. Seeing her hurt, hurt him. Seeing her hurt, knowing he had been the one to hurt her killed him. He wouldn't deny that it was a fair punishment. He did deserve to suffer, but he wasn't sure he could look at her.

"Go talk to her, Kevin," Kate said, "I'll make breakfast, Serena, Mike, James, Terran, Terran, and Carrie are all in the dojo training. It'll just be the two of you."

"That's even worst," Kevin muttered but he did as he was asked. He dragged his feet across the floor as he walked to Emily's bedroom. Storm barked angrily at him, nipping at his ankles but Kevin didn't care. He opened the door to Emily's room and Storm raced in before her. Emily's face lit up as much as it could when she saw the dog. Storm seemed to hesitate jumping up on the bed, and even backed away for a moment, but when she saw Emily was too weak to be a threat, she jumped up and nestled into her mistress' arms. Emily would never hurt her. Emily would keep her safe.

"Dog hates me," Kevin muttered as he went to sit beside Emily's bed, "How… how are you?"

"Please don't hurt Carrie," Emily was already crying, and Kevin wasn't sure why. Well, there were plenty of reasons why, he didn't know which was most accurate. He shook his head.

"I won't. I'm really sorry, Emily. I didn't mean… I thought… I'm sorry."

"I'm not going to be well enough in time to kick Serrator's butt, am I?"

Kevin shook his head and sighed sadly, "I don't think so. Not unless Serrator wants to be kind and wait before flooding the Earth."

"Carrie was awake with me for a bit last night. Mike and… Mike and Serena think she can destroy Serrator but she doesn't. Can you do me a favour?"

"I can train her. I'll keep her safe, Em. Serrator's not going to hurt her, no one will, I promise…"

"Can you be an ass… like you were to Mike when we first got here? I think… if she has someone who doesn't believe in her, it'll really bug her. Like Mike."

"You think she's like Mike?"

"A lot like Mike. If you bug her, if you're her rival she'll want to prove you wrong and she can do it. She has to."

Kevin nodded his head. In a way, it had worked for Mike, and if Carrie was like Mike, like Emily said she was, then it should work for her too. Kevin had his doubts, but he couldn't refuse Emily. He nodded his head just as her eyes started to feel heavy again, and she used all the strength she had to stay away.

"Promise?"

"Yeah, Em. I promise. By the time you're feeling better, Serrator's going to be gone. But can you… can you be mad at me?"

"No," Emily shook her head. "I'm not going to be mad at you."

"Emily, I almost killed you and your daughter."

"I forgive you," Emily said. She gave Kevin a smile before drowsiness overpowered her and she fell back to sleep. Kevin groaned loudly. This was worse than anything he could have imagined. It felt great knowing Emily wasn't mad at him, but she should have been. He had almost killed her. He could have still killed her – no one was really sure yet. A positive outlook wasn't a guarantee, it was a promise, and promises could be broken. Emily shouted have screamed at him, scolded him for not thinking things through like he normally did. She should have wished horrible things upon him, swearing to send Mike, or Serena, or even worse, Mia, after him. But she didn't. She had forgiven him. The kindest heart, the sweetest person in the whole house and he had shot her down. She was suffering because of him, but she still smiled. She still thought of nothing but her daughter. Kevin grabbed his hair in his hands and pulled in frustration.

This was worse and he deserved it. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and got up slowly to leave the room. Storm kept her eyes on him, watching him the entire way out of the room.


	22. Kevin's Consequence

"So this is what you're asking me to do?" Dekker asked as he stood over the wreckage. "If I do this, if I help you ruin this planet, I will get my son. You will make sure of it personally?"

He turned to look Serrator in the eye. Dekker didn't need to be told twice just how risky it was to make a deal with a Nighlok, especially if that Nighlok was Serrator, but the deal did sound very appealing. Dekker wanted his son, and Serrator had even thrown in a little bonus.

"I will return to your human life," Serrator nodded his head and grinned, "I will allow you to resume exactly where you left off. You will watch your son grow, and you will grow old knowing he is yours and there will be no one to take him away from you. Put the final wedge in the Earth, Dekker, and then run to your son."

Dekker took in a deep breath. He wasn't fully recovered, but Serrator assured him the power he had now was enough to ensure everything went smoothly. He could split the Earth just enough for it to eventually break itself open – giving Dekker enough time to run to the Shiba House and collect his son. He could walk right in, because Serrator would grant him full humanity. Dekker could walk in, take his son, and Serena could do nothing about it because she would have an entire world full of children who would need saving. Her son would have to come second. She would have to put him second.

It all sounded perfect. Dekker would get everything he wanted. He would be freed from his curse, he would have his son; his life wouldn't be endless. He had lived for centuries. The thought of one day no longer worried him. He embraced it. But before it came, he would live a happy life.

It was perfect. It was too perfect.

"Get ready, Dekker," Serrator smirked as he overlooked the ruined city, "I want to see the look on the Rangers faces when they've realized they lost."

-Samurai-

Kevin stared at his bowl of oatmeal sadly. No one wanted to train with him that morning, leaving him to beat into the punching bag for almost half-an-hour before giving up. Kate had made breakfast, just as she had promised, but Kevin didn't feel like eating much, and insisted he was content with a bowl of oatmeal and eating alone in the kitchen. Just as he was about to enjoy wallowing in his misery, a bowl was placed beside his and someone sat on the stool next to him. He looked over and saw it was Mia.

"Don't…"

"Emily told me I should talk to you," Mia said. "Emily also told me to tell you that she told me."

"She's being especially kind," Kevin muttered. "I hate it."

"Good," Mia took a spoonful of her oatmeal, "I know you're my fiancé and all that crap, but you ever aim your bow at my little sister again, and I'll show you exactly where the arrow belongs."

"I wasn't aiming for Emily."

"If you ever aim your arrow at my niece again…"

"I get it, Mia. I'm sorry."

Mia nodded her head. She set her bowl back down and wrapped her arms around Kevin, "Besides, it's not like any of us tried to stop you. You just… happened to be the guy who took the shot."

"Wait? You forgive me too?"

"Emily and I talked a bit," Mia said, "She told me you're the poor sucker who took the shot, but we're all to blame."

"For someone who's supposed to be dead, she sure does a lot of talking and forgiving," Kevin muttered. "Stupid yellows, with their stupid hearts and their stupid manipulative sides."

"She knows exactly how to push your buttons, doesn't she?" Mia chuckled. "First there was that time she moved all our stuff over just a couple of inches…"

"I still hate her for that."

"Now this forgiving you bullshit."

"It's torture. Someone, yell at me! Anyone! Where's Serena? I'll get a good yelling from her. She won't resist."

"Emily talked to her too," Mia chuckled, "Last night. She convinced Serena the best way to hurt you was by being kind."

"Kind? What does that…?"

"Here," Serena smiled brightly as she walked into the common room with a bowl of fruits for Kevin, "I weighed and measured and counted every single piece three times so it fits with that wonderful Samurai diet you came up with. You'll be strong as an ox next time Serrator shows his face."

Kevin dropped his bowl of oatmeal and fell out of his seat. He had never seen Serena this happy. He had never seen Emily this happy. Serena had also never gone out of her way to cater to him, nor had she ever really complimented him before.

"What the hell…?"

"Also, I saw your laundry hasn't been done in a while," Serena put the bowl down on the table and gently helped Kevin up to his feet. She kindly brushed him off and made sure he hadn't hurt himself, "Careful there, Kevin. We're already down one Samurai, we wouldn't want to lose another."

Kevin saw his opening and knew this was his chance, "Yeah, and why are we down a Samurai again?"

"Silly," Serena chuckled and pinched his cheek. He hoped she would over pinch and leave a bruise and make him pull his face away in agony, but she was gentle. He wished his grandmother had been this gentle, "Emily was accidentally shot by one of your arrows. Don't you fret about it, though. It's her fault for jumping right in front of your target. When is that kid ever going to learn her body is not a pin cushion for sharp objects? You know, that reminds me of the time…"

"Speaking of time, I'm already late for my shower, and you know how I am with my schedule," Kevin slowly backed away from the still smiling Serena and ran from the room. The smile dropped from Serena's face as she turned to Mia.

"Do you know how hard it is not to kick him where it hurts?"

"Pick another place, please," Mia said, "I'm still kind of mad at him, but Emily did have a point. And I do want kids someday."

"The only reason I agreed to it, is because it's going to be hilarious watching him squirm for the next few days. I was even thinking of asking Antonio to install those little cameras so I could watch it forever."

"AHH!" Kevin screamed and Mia and Serena raced to his bedroom to see what had caused him to shout. Mia had a look around the room, and Serena looked to Kevin. There was nothing wrong with either.

"What's wrong, sugarplum?" Serena had that smile back on her face that sent shivers up and down Kevin's spine. He gestured around the room, ignoring her for now.

"Look at this place!"

"No one's touched anything, Kevin," Mia said. "I even helped Serena put your clean clothes exactly where they belonged. We pulled out the tape measurer and everything."

"I know!" Kevin cried and grabbed his head in his hands, "Please, someone, mess with me! I almost killed your sister! Right in front of both your eyes."

"And we forgive you, Kevin…"

"At least I can hope there's no hot water left," Kevin sighed. He grabbed his towel, which had been nicely folded and was waiting just for him on his bed and walked into the bathroom. He stumbled back when he saw Jayden working on the tub.

"I'll be right out of your hair," Jayden promised. He put his Samuraizer away and gave the blue Ranger a pat on the shoulder, "Mike just used up all the hot water, so I heat the water in the tank right to the perfect temperature. I'll be nice and warm once you turn the tap on, but not too hot. We wouldn't want you to burn yourself now, would we?"

"Yes, we would," Kevin eyed Mia, Serena, and Jayden skeptically, "We really, really would."

"I feel like baking cupcakes," Serena was still smiling, "Vegan cupcakes – that healthy dessert crap no one but Kevin likes. And I'll make sure they're little portions – treat size. Not that Kevin needs any kind of diet."

"Will you all get out?" Kevin cried as he slammed the door in their faces. He turned on the tap, watched the water flow for a minute and then carefully stuck his hand in to feel the temperature. "Dammit, it's perfect."

Just as he was about to strip down the Gap Sensor blared. Hoping this would be the worst battle of his life and there would be a real Nighlok out there ready to cause him pain. This being killed with kindness thing was annoying, and Serena's constant smile really freaked him out.

As he rushed to the common room, joined by the others, he saw Serena coming over to him with a jacket, "It's a little chilly, sweetheart. We wouldn't want you catching a cold."

Antonio pulled up the map and saw two powerful energy readings and he knew this was it. His heart started to ache as he thought back to that moment after Serrator's last attack. Dekker had been lying in the rubble. He had been completely helpless, completely vulnerable and Antonio had been given the chance of a lifetime. If he killed Dekker, the world was freed of one more Nighlok, and Serrator couldn't go through with his initial plan. He would have to resort to his back-up, which was a lot riskier for Serrator because Serena seemed determined to die before she ever helped him out.

"It's them. It's time."

"Like… now?" Carrie asked and gulped a little, "This is really happening? Am I…"

"More than ready," Mike assured her as he hugged her tight, "You're going to make me and your mother so proud, I know it. And I've got your back."

"We've all got your back," Serena promised. She wrapped her arm around Kevin in a loving hug, "Right, honeybuns?"

"Uh…" Kevin looked to Serena curiously. He didn't know what was worse: the grin or the pet names. Just as he was about to awkwardly agree with her, he remembered the promise he made to Emily, "She's just a kid. Are you guys really sure she's up to it? I mean, from what I've see, she's not even that great."

Carrie shifted her attention over to Kevin and looked to him like she knew he was right. Kevin knew this wasn't working. She was like Mike, but she had a little bit of Emily inside of her. He needed to motivate her in a way that would motivate a Mike and Emily hybrid. He shook his head, "Sorry, Carrie, I just don't think you'll be able to take your mother's place. Terran can step in as yellow Ranger. Why don't you stay here and…"

"Hey! I might not be as good as mom, but I'm not a total loser," Carrie shook her head, "At the very least, I can keep a few of those fish faced Nighlok posers busy while you guys tackle the lying bastard. Why the hell are we still standing here? This is it, guys! I can feel it."

Kevin shook his head, "There's no way. I mean, even in Super Samurai, I doubt you could do much good…"

"Give me that stupid weapon," Carrie snatched the Black Box from her father's hands and glared at Kevin, "You might be my uncle, but you can kiss my ass, blue boy. You fight Nighlok with a team to back you up. Once took down a gang that tried to steal our crops – by myself."

"When?" Terran asked, sounding surprised, "Carrie, you never told us about that."

"Why would I, I handled it," Carrie shrugged. She looked to Kevin, "You think you're so perfect, Mr. Perfectionist, you think you know me. You think you're better than me? No way! I'll kick the stupid fish faced Nighlok wannabes asses. I'll kick all their asses. Then I'll kick Serrator's ass. You just watch!"

As Carrie stormed out, leading the charge, James leaned over to Mike and whispered, "So, is getting angry with Kevin and trying to prove him wrong genetic or…"

"Looks like it," Mike smirked, "Turns out, Green's been messing with Blue from the very start."

"You must be proud."

"That's my girl."


	23. Serrator's Final Battle Part I

_Author's Note: __**This chapter does contain spoilers**__. I'm writing my own version of Serrator's defeat, but I do know what happens and "Stroke of Fate" has aired in Canada, and so elements of the episode will be incorporated into the chapter. If you don't want to be spoiled, I suggest you __**stop reading now.**_

Carrie got to the battle sight and she found herself in awe. Looking around, this was even better than she had imagined. Moogers had invaded this part of the city, geysers were bursting from the ground, spewing out what looked to be a purple light (but her father told her to do her best to stay away from them), Sanzu Water was seeping through cracks in the Earth and Serrator and a man, likely another one of Serrator's fools, stood and watched the whole thing from a vantage point – a large mountain of rubble the city had tried to collect between attacks. Though the scene was complete misery, Carrie had always dreamed of what it felt like to be a Ranger, and now she was finally living it. Still, she never forgot the reason she was here. Serrator had fooled her badly, and while Kevin had been the one to shot the arrow, Serrator's schemes had injured her mother. He had hurt all the Samurai in a way. Carrie wouldn't stand for it any longer.

Antonio also looked around, but he looked around in panic. The danger was rising, Serrator was back for a final scheme and he had Dekker with him. Dekker was Serrator's most important piece of the puzzle. Dekker was the one man Serrator was really counting on to bring an end to the human world. Antonio remembered very vividly the opportunity he hadn't taken. Dekker had laid there helpless. Antonio could have destroyed him – killed him – but he didn't. He let him live, and he hoped he wasn't going to regret it.

"You're following that monster around like a love-sick puppy!" Antonio shouted to Dekker as he pulled out the Lantern Zord. He hoped he could piss Dekker off enough to distract him, and long enough for the others to finish off Serrator. "You know, I never thought you would take orders from someone else, Dekker. You've really lost your edge, haven't you?"

Jayden grabbed Antonio's arm roughly, "What are you doing?"

"Pissing him off."

"You're going to get yourself killed."

"He owes me a fair fight," Antonio said, "I'll take care of Dekker. Just make sure you defeat Serrator, okay?"

"Antonio…"

"I'll be fine," Antonio promised and he took Jayden's hand for just a moment. He squeezed it reassuringly and then resumed taunting Dekker. By the look on the half-Nighlok's face, it seemed Antonio's words were getting to him. After all, Antonio was calling him nothing more than Serrator's faithful pet, ready to roll over when Serrator made the command. It was enough to piss anyone off.

Jayden worried for his boyfriend, but he focused on the task ahead. He looked to Carrie who seemed to struggle with what to do next. The other Samurai were already engaged in a battle with the Moogers and held them off while Carrie prepared herself for the big fight. In her hands, she held the Black Box. Jayden put his hand on her shoulder.

"I know you can do it. Your mother really, really wanted to be the one to kick Serrator's ass, but I'm sure she'd be just as happy if you did it."

"What if I can't do it?"

"We've all got your back," Jayden promised her. "The Black Box isn't easy to use. It'll power you up for as long as you need it, but it takes a lot of energy. You're going to have to focus really hard."

Carrie nodded her head and held out the Black Box. She closed her eyes and focused all her energy on the little box in her hands. At first she thought she wasn't strong enough. Her Symbol Power was still weak at best and the Box relied heavily on Symbol Power to activate it. However, Carrie did eventually feel more power than she could ever imagine flow through her veins. She looked down at herself, seeing a white, flowing cape had appeared on her yellow suit, "Not as cool as Uncle James said it was, but it'll have to do."

"Kick ass," Jayden gave her shoulder a pat before running off to battle with Moogers. He saw Serena held the Shark Disk in her hands. He knew Emily had given it to her to help defeat Serrator. The original plan was that Emily and Serena would defeat his first life, and Mike would take care of his second. Obviously, with Emily laid up in bed and Carrie taking her place, things had changed.

The disk was launched through the air and Mike saw it coming for him just in time to catch it. He looked to Serena. She nodded her head.

"If he killed Terran, I'd want to kick his ass. Go for it."

"This is so sick," Mike smiled as he powered up. He watched Carrie rush over to Serrator and thought he would join her in a couple of minutes. He knew she was strong enough to handle herself for now and he wanted to give her the opportunity to lay it on Serrator.

Carrie drew her sword and without any exchange of small talk she went right for Serrator, swiping at him with all the rage she had. She managed to strike him a few times before he landed a blow, knocking her to the ground.

"Yellow Ranger," he shook his head and smirked, "When will you learn, revenge gets you nowhere. Your rage doesn't give you strength. It makes you weaker."

He lifted his sword over his head and brought it down. Carrie held her sword up, blocking his and then knocking his sword from his hand. Her sword went flying with his, but Carrie didn't care. She was better at fighting with her fists, unlike her mother. Serrator would never see this coming.

By the largest crack in the ground, Dekker stood tall and held Urumasa tightly in his hand. This was it. Everything Serrator had promised him would be given to him the moment he struck the Earth.

Every single promise.

"He lies to you. He lies to everyone," Antonio continued trying to talk some sense into Dekker. "You've seen him betray countless humans and Nighlok before. You're one of them. Why would you choose to believe him now?"

"He promised me…"

"He's a Nighlok," Antonio shook his head, "His promises mean nothing. Never make a deal with a Nighlok."

"I am a Nighlok."

"So you know how bad it is," Antonio said. He pulled off his helmet, hoping a face to face talk would convince Dekker faster, "I mean, look at yourself. Look at the life you lead. You're miserable, Dekker, and Serrator's to blame. I'll be he's had this plan in his back pocket for centuries. You're just his toy. His pawn. You mean nothing to him. You'll mean a lot less once he gets what he wants. It's not like you can take back destroying the world."

"He promised me my son."

"Yeah, speaking of Terran, there's another example for me. You call yourself a Nighlok. You had the best of intentions when you were with Serena. I doubt there was ever a time you wanted to hurt her. She broke your heart, right?"

"Yes," Dekker nodded his head. "I didn't try to hurt her, I just…"

"Selfishly looked after only yourself – putting her at risk – putting your unborn child at risk. She was pregnant with Terran before you broke up with her. You hurt her when she was carrying your child. If you didn't mean to do that, then imagine what Serrator's planning? He wants chaos, he wants misery. He wants to wipe out all humans. Terran's human."

"He promised me…"

"God, Dekker, you're like a dog with a bone. Serrator has no intention of giving you what he promised. That's why it all sounds so perfect. But guess what; bye-bye world, bye-bye son, bye-bye happiness. You'll remained cursed forever. Jayden, your ultimate opponent, the one who can free you from this miserable curse will be wiped out, along with the rest of humanity, and you'll be left to fight Nighlok for eternity. None of them are as good as you. None of them are as powerful as you. It'll be a waste of your endless time."

Dekker lowered his sword slowly and looked away. Antonio had said exactly what he had been thinking – Serrator's promises were too good.

Antonio took a step forward, "You owe me your life. I had a chance earlier to kill you and I let you live. Let me take that chance now."

"No," Dekker shook his head. He returned Urumasa to its scabbard and walked away, "You and I will not duel. I am done here."

"S-Seriously?" Antonio asked and scratched the top of his head, "You mean my speech actually worked? You're going to leave us alone?"

"Far from it," Dekker said, "however, I will not let Serrator's plan succeed. I refuse to help him."

A Gap appeared and Dekker disappeared inside of it. Antonio took a moment to catch his breath and wonder whether or not that had actually just happened.

-Samurai-

Emily tried to push herself out of bed, "I have to help them…"

"Em, you can barely stay awake. You're no good to anyone like this," James said as he gently pushed her back down into bed. He had made the mistake of telling her everyone was out fighting Serrator and Dekker, forgetting Emily wanted more than anything to take part in that battle. Unfortunately, with her injuries, she would be more of a danger to herself than anything else. She had to pray Serrator was defeated in this battle, but at the same time, that meant she would never get the chance to make him pay for killing her daughter.

Kate and Ji were in the common room, keeping their eyes on the map and on the news. James had asked that Emily be kept in the dark until the very end – until they were sure it was good news or bad news. He didn't need her going through the roller coaster he was sure the Rangers were currently riding. He had sat on the sidelines long enough to know that the greatest victories also came with the greatest scares. Sometimes, when the Ranger celebrated a big win, James celebrated the fact that he hadn't suffered a heart attack. Though he would never tell her this, Emily was too weak to handle even just watching a battle.

"He… he killed her…" Emily shook her head, "James, he's going to kill her again! I'll lose her again! It's not fair! It's not fair! I need to be out there. I have to help. I have to go. You can't stop me!"

Emily tried again to get up. James pushed her down and held his hand against her chest to keep her down.

"Emily, they're going to be fine."

"No!"

"I'm scared too," Terran whispered. He was holding his younger self, and hadn't said anything until now. He didn't know how to comfort his Aunt, or even how to sit back and let Carrie fight a battle without him. He had always been there for her. He had always been out there protecting her. Now, she was in danger and he was here keeping his injured aunt company. Terran put the baby in James' arms and sat down beside his aunt. He gave her a warm smile, "but I know Carrie. She's tough."

"So is Serrator. She…"

"Dad always said Carrie's the perfect blend of you and Uncle Mike. She's got a lot of power, and she doesn't know how to use it, but she always knows how to get the job done. And she's stubborn. She's not going to give up. She's not going to let Serrator win. She hates losing. She hates feeling like she's let people down, like she's disappointed the people who believed in her. She also cares about you – a lot. She's determined to make you proud. It's all she's ever wanted."

Terran pulled Emily into his arms and hugged her comfortingly, "If I thought, for one moment, she was in danger, I'd be out there to protect her, I promise. I helped dad raise her. I can't stand the thought of anything happening to her. I know she'll be okay."

Emily buried her face in Terran's chest, "Promise?"

Terran nodded.

James smiled and instantly he knew he was a sucker for the scene Terran and Emily were displaying. Emily's little nephew, the little boy she loved and protected as a baby was now the one protecting her, keeping her warm and safe while she cried. It was twisted but it was adorable.

Then little baby Terran started to stir in James' arms. The former coach looked down at his baby son and chuckled when he saw little Terran seemed jealous of older Terran. Little Terran would act up this way from time to time. James would call him a lady's man because he always got jealous when he saw someone cuddling with his mother or his aunt when he wanted their attention. He would even go so far as to squirming in between any couple and pushing usually James or Mike away from Serena or Emily.

"Just wait eighteen years, little man," James said, "You'll get this moment with Auntie Emy."

Terran started to shout at his older self, telling himself off in his baby speak. James could tell his baby son was demanding his older son let go of his aunt and that she was his and only his. He wouldn't share. When older Terran wouldn't listen, little Terran puffed his cheeks unhappily.

James smiled and kissed the little boy's head, "You'll get your fair share of women, Terran."


	24. Serrator's Final Battle Part II

Carrie was thrown into the ground and had to take a moment to catch her breath. Super Samurai was helping her to keep up with Serrator, but she still didn't have the power she needed to defeat. She had gone hand-to-hand with him, knowing that was her strength, and it had given her a slight advantage for a time. Serrator, believing her to be her mother, didn't expect her to be so skilled in unarmed combat and took a few brutal hits. But he still outmatched her, and put her right back in her place as soon as he knew this was how she wanted to fight.

As Carrie struggled to get back up to her feet, wondering how her parents fought through this pain every day, Serrator approached her and held out his sword. She was on her knees trying not to make a sudden movement as Serrator put her at his mercy. Just as he was about to cut her in half, Mike jumped in the way. He blocked Serrator's sword with his Shark Sword and fought him off long enough for Carrie to get up. She could see her father was pissed off, and he had every right to be. Carrie didn't exist in this world because of Serrator, and he had been moments away from killing her again.

She was helped to her feet by the other Samurai. Serena lifted her gently, "Are you okay?"

"It hurts," Carrie shook her head and felt like a wimp. It hurt too badly for her to feel comfortable continuing. She had just let Serrator almost take her life because she couldn't stand to fight. Serena hugged her niece.

"It's okay. You did great. We can take it from here if…"

Kevin scoffed and shook his head. He remembered the promise he made to Emily and didn't truly mean the words he said, but he owed Emily. Carrie heard the scoff and turned to her uncle. Already she felt a little more energized.

"No," Carrie shook her head and turned back to her aunt, determined to prove Kevin wrong; to prove to him and everyone else that she was strong enough to fight. She reached down and picked up her sword again, "Mom died to protect me. She almost died twice. If she can do it, I can do it. I have to do it."

"We've got your back, kiddo," Serena smiled as Carrie hurried to help her father. His rage would only fuel his advantage for so long, and already it looked like he would need a hand. The others were behind her except for Jayden and Antonio. The red Ranger held the gold Ranger back.

"Where's Dekker?"

"He left."

"Just like that?"

"Serrator's lied to a lot of people, Jay," Antonio nodded. "Though, I might have reminded him about his duel with you. I'm really sorry. I had to use everything I had to convince him…"

"It's okay," Jayden said, "He's been waiting for this for centuries. I doubt he's forgotten. Let's just get Serrator out of the way. Then we can worry about Dekker."

-Samurai-

"Was mom really in a wheelchair?" Terran asked as he snuck Serena's old chair into his aunt's room. While James was in the kitchen making something to eat, Emily had begged Terran to retrieve Serena's chair so she could get out of bed and check up on the Samurai's fight against Serrator and Dekker. James didn't want her to know the results until the end, but Emily needed to watch it unfold. The worst part was not knowing.

Emily nodded her head, "For a while. She had a really bad encounter with Dayu once. She didn't know if she was going to walk again."

"I guess she did," Terran said. Very carefully he helped his aunt out of bed and into the wheelchair and quietly rolled her into the common room. Emily braced herself for the looks from Ji and Kate when she walked in and already had a counterargument, before they could say anything.

"Serrator killed my unborn baby and is now going after everyone I love – my daughter included. I'm watching this fight."

Ji and Kate both sighed and shook their heads, but they allowed Emily to stay. Terran set her next to the map and at an angle where she could see the TV. The news was doing a great job covering the battle. Emily clutched the armrests tightly and she could feel her stress levels building up as she watched her friends take hit after hit. She hated sitting out. She wanted to help them.

James walked into the room and saw Emily had joined Ji and Kate, "You should be in bed, Em. You're not strong enough to…"

"Shh!" Emily hushed him and kept her eyes glued to the TV, "I… think they're evenly matched. Wait, where's Dekker?"

"Antonio talked him out of fighting," Ji told Emily as he threw a blanket over her to keep her warm. "I don't know what he said, but it worked. All the Rangers have to do now is defeat Serrator."

"Both sides are giving it all they've got," Kate said, "This is it."

-Samurai-

Serrator cried out in rage as the Samurai all teamed up against him. He could hold them all off, but it was harder when they were coming from different directions all at once. At least one would land a blow before he pushed them all away. This time, the yellow Ranger had been the one to hit him, cutting right across his arm, forcing him to drop his sword as he bled. She wouldn't give up yet, and seeing he was unarmed she swung her sword again, striking him across the chest and knocking him on his ass. Behind her, the others had gotten up and held their weapons in their hands, ready to combine their attacks to take him out for good.

"Carrie, get out of the way!" Mike called to her. Carrie shook her head.

"This is it, dad," she answered. Serrator, who was tending to the wound in his arm and the wound in his chest looked up.

"Dad?"

Carrie nodded and let out a cry as she pierced her sword through Serrator's chest, through the hand trying to stop the bleeding and through the wound she had inflicted moments before. Serrator screamed in pain as he was pinned to the ground, utterly helpless. Carrie took this opportunity to remove her helmet and smiled at Serrator.

"Toying with people, your greatest pleasure, will be your biggest mistake," Carrie grabbed her sword again and pulled it from the wound. Then she used it to strike Serrator over and over again until he couldn't take it anymore. With a loud cry, Serrator exploded.

Carrie watched him blow and then fell to her knees. The rest of her suit disappeared and she saw the ground coming closer and closer until someone caught her – which stopped her face-plant in the dirt.

"You did it!" Mike hugged his daughter tight, "You defeated Serrator!"

"I… I…" Carrie fought her fatigue and managed a smile before passing out in her father's arms. Mike chuckled and held her a little closer. He looked to Jayden.

"She's done, Jay," he took the Black Box from her Spin Sword and offered it to the red Ranger. Right behind him, Serrator's second life was born and he grew until he towered over the city, swearing revenge. Before Jayden could grab the Black Box, Serena snatched it from Mike's hands.

"No way. This asshole's hurt my family one too many times now. Mike, you cover Carrie. The rest of you, come with me."

"Am I ever getting the Black Box back?" Jayden muttered.

-Samurai-

"Emily… Emy, c'mon squirt, wakey-wakey."

Emily slowly opened her eyes and looked around, finding herself back in her room and in bed. She tried to remember what had happened after she had gone to the common room, but could only remember about five minutes of nail-biting anxiety. The rest was completely blank. Then she looked up and saw Serena sitting beside her on the bed, gently trying to wake her up. There were a few cuts on her face that had already been tended to that reminded Emily what happened. She had just been in a war with Serrator. Emily rubbed her eyes and sat up slowly.

"Am I dead?"

"God, I hope not," Serena shook her head and pulled her little sister into her arms, "Kate says you passed out and they had to bring you back in here. You're not strong enough to get out of bed yet, Em."

"If I'm not dead… and you're not dead… right?"

"Right."

"Then Serrator…"

"Carrie killed him," Serena smiled. "You should have seen the look on his face, Emily. He was horrified. I'll bet it was the worst day of his life. Carrie let him know exactly who she was and what his biggest mistake was right before she killed him. It was the ultimate revenge."

"So we… we won?"

"Yeah," Carrie's voice answered from the door as she walked in and smiled at her mother. She seemed exhausted, and like Serena, and everyone behind her, she was hurt, but she wore a large grin, "We beat him, mom. I kicked his ass!"

Emily chuckled and opened her arms wide as Carrie ran to her. She took her daughter in her arms and hugged her tight, "Thank you."

"I wish he never got the chance to kill me," Carrie whispered, "Dad always had my back, and even saved me a few times and… mom…"

"Yeah?"

"You're even better than I imagined. You and dad both."

Emily's eyes watered up and the tears instantly started to pour down her face. She buried her head in her daughter's shoulder and hugged her tight, "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. When we go back home, I'll be okay. I'll know I do have parents and they do love me."

"And they'll miss you just as much as you'll miss us," Emily promised. "Even more."

Antonio shifted his weight from side to side and smirked, "Well, you know, it's going to take me a while to come up with a gizmo or gadget that'll safely send two people not just back to the future, but also to another world. You don't have to miss each other just yet."

"Wait, seriously?" Mike asked and his eyes grew in excitement, "Dude, you're playing me."

"Not at all," Antonio shook his head, "I'm good, but I'm not that good."

Mike hugged Antonio tightly and then looked to Carrie, "Sweet, because there's this awesome pizza place you need to try, Care. You're not my daughter if you don't love pizza! Once your mother's feeling up to it, we'll go there."

"Pizza?" Carrie asked her mother, "I don't think we've ever had pizza."

"Oh boy," Emily rolled her eyes. Mike's jaw dropped.

"You've never had pizza? What kind of world do you live in if there's no pizza?"

"Good luck with that, Carrie," Emily chuckled as Mike walked over to explain to Carrie what pizza was, as well as the different types.

Serena shook her head and rolled her eyes. Mike did love his pizza. Then she felt someone tap her shoulder and turn around.

"You're dead back home too," Terran told her. Serena pulled him into her arms and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"We'll spend some time together, I promise."

"But before we do anything else," Kevin announced as he walked into the room carrying a huge cake. He brought it over to Emily's bed and set it on her lap. She didn't know whether to smile or recoil in fear when she looked down and saw the cake was shaped after Serrator. Kevin shrugged his shoulders and explained, "We know how much you wanted to kick his ass, and I know it's my fault you had to sit out so here's the knife and…"

"DIE!" Emily punched her fist into the cake before Kevin could pull the knife from his pocket. Emily's fist landed right in the middle of Serrator's head, crushing it to pieces. Her eyes lit up and she pulled her hand from the cake and licked her knuckles, "Ice-cream cake?"

"With a cookie bottom," Kevin nodded, "Will you yell at me now?"

Emily shook her head, "Nope. Now watch as I not only crush Serrator, but eat him too. Who's winning now, you pathetic bastard!"


	25. Kevin Prend Une Douche

Terran looked at his hands and shook his head, "Nahuh."

"C'mon you big wuss," Carrie giggled and held up the pumpkin, waving it in Terran's face, "It's just a vegetable."

"Pumpkin is a fruit," Serena muttered. Mike rolled his eyes at her and then put his hand in his nephew's shoulder.

"You've got to gut it, dude. That's the only way it's going to look cool. Though it won't look as cool as ours," Mike grabbed the pumpkin he and Carrie were going to carve and cut the top off. He set the cap aside and reached in, digging out the insides and putting them into a bowl. Terran shook his head in disgust.

"That's gross."

"Stick your hand in it," Serena took hers and Terran's pumpkin back from Carrie, opened the top and pointed the hole to Terran, "Just touch it."

Terran rolled up his sleeved and stuck his hand inside the pumpkin. He had a horrified look on his face as he grabbed a handful of the guts and pulled them out. He dumped them in a bowl and then backed away, "It's wet _and_ slimy!"

"Fine," Serena rolled her eyes, "I'll gut it. You just think of the best face. We're going to need something really clever to beat out their pumpkin."

Terran nodded his head and sat on the chair to think while his mother removed the insides of the pumpkin, making sure to clean it out. A whisper pulled him from his thoughts for a moment as he looked to his mother. She shook her head and groaned, "My son's a wuss."

"HEY!"

"So is Uncle James," Carrie giggled. She grabbed a handful of her pumpkin's insides and held it in Terran's face, "Pumpkin guts! Be afraid!"

"Care, stop it!"

"Ooh… spooky!"

"I said stop it!"

"Girl."

Terran stuck out his tongue at his cousin and then went back to thinking. Now, more than ever he wanted his and his mother's pumpkin to be cooler and scarier than Mike and Carrie's.

In the hallway, while Mike, Serena, Carrie, and Terran were having a pumpkin carving contest, and Jayden, Antonio, Ji, James, Little Terran, and Kate were decorating the house for Halloween, Kevin sat on the floor. It was Older Terran and Carrie's very first real Halloween and the house wanted to take the time to celebrate it. It was likely going to be the only holiday Terran got with his mother before going home, and the only holiday Carrie got with her parents. They needed to make the most of it.

It was also an excuse to celebrate Serrator's defeat. The theme of the Halloween party was defeated Nighlok. Kate had proven to be excellent in designing decorations and had done something for every single Nighlok the Rangers had defeated in the past: from Tooya to Serrator, they were all there.

Serrator was a piñata. It had been Kevin's idea. It was another way for him to try and earn Emily's true forgiveness. She couldn't defeat the real Serrator, so he was giving her every chance possible to kick the ass of the fake ones.

Though the whole house said they had forgiven him, Kevin knew it wasn't true. They were being nice to him because they knew he knew he didn't deserve it. Kevin had fired an attack, willingly, right at his teammate. Though his target had been Carrie, Emily had been right there. To make it worse, everything that could have gone wrong, had. Emily took the hit for Carrie, Emily almost died, Carrie revealed she wasn't the enemy, but Mike and Emily's daughter, and Kevin realized his mistake. He wanted to be yelled at. He wanted someone to break down and cry and make him feel like the jerky asshole he was. He wanted the team to hate him. He would even allow Mike to punch him – anywhere. They wouldn't give him that though. They were all smiles, they were all happy. They had even invited him to decorate and were sad when he decided to sit out. Serena had invited Kevin to be on hers and Terran's team for the pumpkin carving contest, praising his creativity and passion for a fair competition. She was being nicest of them all. It was scary.

"Try some," Mia stood before Kevin with a glass of red… Kevin wasn't sure what. She knelt before him, offering the glass, "I'm going to serve it at the party."

"You made this?" Kevin asked. Mia nodded her head with a smile.

"My own recipe."

Kevin sighed and took the glass. He looked at it worriedly, but trusted Mia. She had come a long way from her days as the lethal chef. In fact, she was now one of the best cooks in the house. All it had taken was someone steering her in the right direction. Putting the glass to his lips, Kevin chugged the drink and then spit it out, right in Mia's face.

"UGH! That's disgusting!"

"Really?" Mia seemed genuinely hurt. Kevin looked down at the glass and then shook his head.

"Uh… well, it's probably an acquired taste. I wouldn't mind a…"

"Liar," Mia chuckled and took the glass from Kevin's hand. She wiped her face of the juice and spit, "I made it disgusting on purpose. Mike and Antonio aren't the only ones who can pull pranks."

"You're serving this at the party?"

"There's some real punch in the fridge."

"It sounds like it'll be an awesome party."

"You're invited, you know."

Kevin shook his head, "You're all saying that. I know you guys don't really want me there. I shot Emily and Carrie."

"Yeah, you did," Mia nodded, "but that doesn't mean you should miss out on Halloween. It's our only Halloween with Carrie, Terran's only Halloween with Serena, and Baby Terran's first ever Halloween. Emily's dressing him up as a pumpkin right now. You know how I feel about babies and costumes."

"Have fun."

"Kevin!" Mia cried as she watched him get up and walk away. He could be so stubborn sometimes. She jumped up after him and grabbed his arm, "Kevin, stop it!"

"Mia, I…"

"We're all still kind of mad at you, but you're still our friend. Obviously this forgiving you has done what it's supposed to, and it's not like you meant to hurt Emily or her daughter."

"I did want to hurt Carrie."

"That's why I said daughter," Mia pulled Kevin into her arms, "Look, I'll talk to the others, okay? You're invited to the party. No strings attached. And don't drink the punch."

"I don't want… never mind…"

"What?" Mia asked. "Kevin, this niceness thing was your punishment but it's over now. I'll talk to the others and it'll be genuine. Serena will stop being creepy happy. I promise."

"But that's not…"

"Not what?" Mia placed her hands on her hips and gave Kevin a horrible stare, "Not what you want, huh? I guess you wanted someone to yell at you? Would that make you feel better?"

"Now that you mention it, yeah, that is what I want."

"You selfish asshole!" Mia shouted and punched Kevin in the shoulder, "You're in no position to ask for anything. You shot Emily! Why in the world do you think we'll be catering to what makes you feel better? You're not the one who had to sit out the most important battle of your life! You're not the one still injured on Halloween! You're not supposed to feel good! You should feel miserable. You should feel like shit."

Kevin backed away from Mia with a guilty look on his face. She was right. Him asking the others to yell at him wasn't for their sake. It wasn't for Emily's sake. It was for his own. It was selfish.

Mia continued to shout at him, though, refusing to let him get a word in, "We're doing this for Emily, Carrie, Mike, and Terran. We're doing all of this for them, and if you really want to be the good guy again, you're going to this party and you're going to do everything you can to make sure they all have a good time!"

"Mia, I…"

"Feel better now, jerk?" Mia crossed her arms over her chest, "I yelled at you."

"I… I didn't deserve that," Kevin shook his head sadly. Mia shook her own.

"No, you did. You know you did. I only yelled at you because we are starting to forgive you. And none of us want to see you sulking on Halloween. Emily's going to be okay, Carrie and Terran get to spend some time with their parents. It all worked out, you lucky ass. Now, go count your blessings and have a look at the costume you're going to wear for the party. Emily picked it out, so you're not allowed to refuse."

"I'm going to hate it, aren't I?"

Mia shrugged her shoulders, "Depends. By the way, it's French."

"French? Will I have to speak with an accent?"

"Nope. But, um, you wouldn't happen to know what the French word for shower is, do you?"

Kevin shook his head. He knew two languages. French wasn't one of them. Mia gave him a kiss and then chuckled to herself as she went to help the others with the decorations. Kevin walked to his room to see what costume Emily had picked for him. He looked to the bed and saw nothing but underwear, a towel, a shower cap, and a note.

"_You can't wear anything except what's laid out on the bed. For the record, I wanted to go with dragon, but you shot Emily so... maybe next year! Love Mia._

"_PS: Emily says you should be thankful for the underwear. She would have omitted it, but didn't want you to scar her further if the towel fell. And you have to start wearing the costume as soon as you're done reading this note."_

Kevin groaned and looked at the costume and the note. The things guilt made him do. He stripped down, put on the underwear and then wrapped the towel around his waist. He put the shower cap on his head and sighed.

"I'm taking a shower?" Kevin asked himself and then walked to his desk. He turned on his computer and googled the French translation for shower. Seeing his answer, he groaned loudly.

-Samurai-

"Alright on three you turn your jack-o-lanterns around and we'll see which is scarier," Antonio said and slowly counted backwards from three. The design and build portion of the pumpkin carving contest was over and now it was time for the judging. Antonio, Jayden, and Ji were the three judges. They were determined to be the most neutral and fair of all the Samurai.

When the count reached one, Mike and Terran turned their team's pumpkins around. The judges looked to the design, which flickered from the candle inside and then looked to each other. Whispering their votes to each other, they counted it up and turned to their contestants.

"Well, it's unanimous," Ji announced, "Serena and Terran's skull faced monster is the scariest."

Serena and Terran high-fived. Mike threw his hands up in the air.

"What? How is a skull faced monster scarier than this?" he pointed to his pumpkin.

Jayden shrugged his shoulders, "It's a picture of a woman."

"Yeah, Serena. It's Serena's face. Scariest thing I know."

"Conference," Antonio called as he consulted the other two judges.

Serena growled at Mike, "They've already made their call. You lost. I'm not scarier than a skull-faced…"

"Votes have been recounted. Mike and Carrie's Serena faced pumpkin wins!"

"What! Mike!" Serena cried and lunged for the green Ranger.

"We won, we won!" Mike cheered for himself and Carrie as he raced around the room, trying to outrun an obviously angry Serena. "You know, you're not exactly proving your point."

"I'll show you scary! Get back here!"

Carrie giggled and looked to Terran, "Uncle James was right, we do get it from them."

Terran nodded his head and winced when he heard Mike's pained cry from somewhere in the house.

Emily walked into the common room with Terran on her hip. She couldn't really help out with decorating the house and so had been left with her baby nephew to dress him up in his costume for Halloween – a job she could easily do in bed. She was feeling better, though, and Terran was all dressed up and ready to be seen.

"Pumpkin contest?" she asked the rest of the house. Carrie nodded her head and smiled.

"Dad and I won."

"What did you carve?"

"Aunt Serena's face."

"That explains it," Emily giggled as she sat down on her stool. Little Terran sat on her lap and tried to get a look down the hall. He had seen his mother chasing his uncle around the house and wanted to know what was going on. Emily stood him up and smiled at everyone as she showed off Terran in his pumpkin costume, "Do I win cutest pumpkin award?"

"Emy, he's adorable!" Mia came over, unable to resist Terran in his costume. She loved dressed up babies.

Just then, Kevin walked into the room wearing nothing but a towel around his waist and a shower cap on his head. Mia groaned and buried her face in Terran's puffy pumpkin, Emily grinned happily, and the boys, Carrie and Kate were all more than a little disturbed.

"Shower's that way," Antonio pointed down the hall, "and, no offence, Kevin, but… you don't have enough hair to justify a shower cap."

"Kevin," Emily grinned, "would you mind explaining your costume?"

"I'm a douche…"


	26. Halloween Costumes And Parties

Serena and James were in their bedroom getting their costumes on for the Halloween party. This year, Halloween was a huge deal. Not only was it Little Terran's very first Halloween, but it was older Terran's first holiday with his mother since she had died when he was just a baby eighteen years before in his world and time. On top of that, it was also Carrie's first and only holiday ever with her parents. With the exception of the party, training, and sleeping, Antonio was working long and hard to get a machine running that would send the kids back to their world. James, himself, admitted that he was likely devastated that Terran and Carrie were gone, especially if they were all he had left. Antonio knew it was going to be a sad time, but they couldn't stay.

"We'll need a lot of pictures for Terran to take home," Serena smiled to James, "Just because we'll never see each other again, doesn't mean he can't have something to remember us bye."

James nodded his head in agreement. This whole deal was a little bittersweet to him. He wanted to spent time with the older Terran, and he wanted to see what Terran would turn into, but Terran didn't want to spend as much time with James as he did with Serena, which was understandable. Terran would be going home to James and would have all the time in the world to bond with his father, and he would leave his little baby self behind. James wouldn't miss out on anything.

Neither would Serena, but Terran wanted time with the mother he had lost. So she was doing everything she could to make sure he got his fill. By the time Terran and Carrie did have to leave, Terran would be sick of his mother and desperate to return to his world where she couldn't hang around him anymore. It was the least she could do for him.

"Mind helping me with the zipper?" Serena asked and turned her back to James. He sighed as he helped her into her costume."

"Jayden's going to kill you when he sees this."

"He could have been honest from day one."

"You know, you're going to have a really hard time once the others find out, right?"

"Jayden promised to help," Serena said, "So what do you think?"

Serena turned around, showing off her female version of Jayden's red Ranger uniform.

"It looks good on you. Pretty legit, too."

"It better," Serena rolled her eyes, "It took a lot of Symbol Power to turn my suit red. For a moment, I thought I was going to have to dress up as Mia. That's no fun."

Serena groaned as James put whistle around his neck, "Speaking of no fun…"

"Technically, I'm not a coach anymore. This is the perfect costume for me."

"You can dress up as anything you want, James. A monster, a superhero, a cartoon character, a freaking Power Ranger. But no, you choose to be the very thing you are. A coach."

"It if helps, I'm not a football coach, I'm a volleyball coach."

"You are so lame," Serena rolled her eyes and walked to the door when she heard a knock. She opened it and saw a little jack-o-lantern smiling up at her, bouncing excitedly. "Hey, cutie pie…"

"Trick or treat!" Emily held out a bag, "He's so cute you can't resist giving me candy."

Serena crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her son in her arms. She glared at her sister, "Are you using my son to get candy?"

Emily nodded her head, "Trick or treat."

"You're not getting candy. You're not even in costume!"

"Sure she is," James chuckled, "She's a monster. Can't you see that hideous face?"

"One: I only blew up a few days ago! I think I look good for someone who should be dead. Two: at least I'm relatively scary looking for Halloween. Where's your costume?"

"I'm wearing it."

Emily blinked and shook her head, "No you're not. Where's the make-up, the scary?"

"I'm a coach."

"Okay, Coach, what are you dressing up as?"

"He's a volleyball coach," Serena explained though it didn't seem to help Emily's confusion.

"I thought you were a volleyball coach?"

"I was a gym teacher and the football coach," James reminded her. Emily wrinkled her nose.

"So, you're in costume?"

"Yeah. Volleyball coach."

"And Serena's a Power Ranger?" Emily looked to her sister's costume, "Aw, why red? Why not yellow? Jayden stinks."

"Dressing up as the yellow Ranger would be like James dressing up as a coach. I've been yellow. It's not a costume."

Emily crossed her arms over her chest, "Wow, Serena's got the best costume between the two of you, and that's not saying much."

"I'm not a volleyball coach in real life. Halloween is about dressing up, being something different, and having fun."

"Thinking outside the box. You both suck. Give me candy."

"No, Em," Serena snatched the bag from her sister's hand, "You're still hurt and candy's not going to help you feel better. You should… why is there already candy in the bag?"

"Mia can't resist a kid in costume," Emily took her bag back and then took Terran, "I'm going to go treat or treating in her room again. She'll give me candy and her costume is better than both of yours. She's the wicked-step mother."

"Another fairy character?" James groaned, "And I'm unoriginal."

"Hey! Mia's ugly, she's mean, she's not a princess this time, and she gives me candy!" Emily huffed and turned her back to the room, "That's a gazillion points for her, and none for you. C'mon, Terran, let's go to where the candy is."


	27. Strange Things On Halloween

The Samurai Halloween Party was in full swing. The decorations were up, giving the Shiba House the Hhunted look it deserved for the scariest holiday of the year, and everyone was dressed up in a costume. Kevin still wore his towel and shower cap, and now that the teasing about him being a douche had settled, he was enjoying his costume. He didn't need to worry about ruining the costume, getting stains, or how he was going to go to the bathroom when duty called for it.

Antonio had decided he would dress up as Octozord. He had a hat shaped like a squid's head and all the tentacles he needed for extra arms. Right next to him, Jayden was shaking his head the entire night not just because of Antonio's costume, but Serena's as well. He knew exactly what Serena was doing by wearing a red Ranger costume. The rest of the house thought she was dressed as Jayden, but he knew the truth. Antonio knew the truth as well, and insisted it was funny.

Jayden, though, decided to dress up as a wizard. It wasn't anything too original in terms of a costume, but it beat out James' idea to be a volleyball coach. Jayden wore the tall pointed hat, the robe, and he carried around the book of Power Symbols because technically, it was the Samurai's version of a book of spells. Emily insisted that if he wanted to be an authentic wizard, he needed the long, white beard but Jayden refused because it itched.

Mia stuck with her fairy tale obsession, but she gave her costume a bit of a twist. Normally she went as a princess either before or after the happily ever after, but this year she decided to do an evil take and dressed up as the wicked step-mother. It took a lot of make-up to age her face and make herself look as ugly as possible, but it was worth it. Mike, whenever he would walk by, flinched and hurried his pace to get away.

Mike loved Halloween, and wanted to dress up as something scary, but Emily refused to let him be a zombie. She hated them, and she would hate Mike all night if he was a zombie. So, instead, Mike covered himself in fake fur, gave himself fangs, wore a pair or ripped up pants and a torn shirt and was disguised as a werewolf. Emily, despite her hatred of zombies, had no choice but to go dressed as a zombie fairy. She was still covered in cuts and scars from when Kevin had shot her and Carrie, and though they were beginning to heal, they hadn't healed enough to stop the zombie look.

Kate and Ji were dressed as ghostly bride and groom. It had been Kate's idea for a costume and she had a reason for it. Ji had once tried to tell her he loved her. She knew it. She had seen it in his face and the way he had hesitated. But he chickened out at the last minute, and since then he hadn't made another try. Kate hoped a couple's costume, especially one that had to do with marriage, would set Ji back on the right path. She didn't want to marry him just yet, but she wanted him to find the courage to say those three words.

Even Storm was dressed up for Halloween. The Samurai Rangers were popular in Panorama City, and so it hadn't been hard to find a dog Power Ranger costume for Storm. She was the yellow Ranger, and Emily had also put on a white cape – making the yellow Super Samurai Ranger. Storm spent the entire night trying to remove her costume.

Terran and Carrie seemed to be having the most fun at the party, though. Their costumes were last minute ideas and were made by Kate. They also weren't too original. Terran was a traditional Samurai while Carrie was a cat. The costumes weren't great, but the kids didn't know the difference. It was their first Halloween, and their only chance to dress up. They would be whatever they could get their hands on, and they were enjoying it.

"Pst!" Emily called over the music and gestured for them to follow her into the hallway. Terran and Carrie exchanged looks. They were having fun already with Serena and Mike, watching as their respective parent teased and poked fun of the other's costume, but as the night went on, they had noticed Emily had been up to something, and she seemed to be willing to let them in on it.

"What are you…?"

"Let's go trick or treating," Emily smiled happily as she handed both kids a bag. "Halloween isn't Halloween if you guys don't get a huge collection of candy to bring home."

"And leave this party?" Terran asked. "What about mom. Uncle Antonio says there might be a way to get us home. We could be leaving soon and…"

"You spent all day with your mother," Emily huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, "I promise, you can spend more time with her tomorrow. Tonight, you get to hang out with your favouritest aunt in the world."

"Come on, Terran, don't be such a momma's boy," Carrie grinned and gently shoved her cousin. "You know Uncle James talks about how much my mom loved you. Don't you love her too? Won't you miss her?"

Terran sighed and nodded his head, "I will. Okay, we'll get candy. Let me just tell my parents and…"

"You're nineteen, you don't need to tell anyone," Emily shook her head. "I already told Kevin anyways. He's still feeling guilty enough to let me get away with anything. Let's go."

Emily grabbed the kids by the arms and raced out the door, leaving the party behind. From the common room, Kevin saw her leave and then he looked over to Mia with a smile.

"They're going to have fun."

Mia nodded her head, "They're with Emily. Of course they're going to have fun."

"You know, having them around has kind of gotten me thinking."

"Uh, we're still Samurai, Kevin," Mia shook her head, "And unless you want to go through everything Emily and Mike just went through…"

"Not now," Kevin chuckled, "Obviously not now. The thought of having kids still freaks me out. I have no idea how Mike handled that bullet. I was just going to say I've been thinking about what our kids would be like."

"They'll be interesting, all right," Mia smirked. "You remember that spell that turned you into a little boy?"

"What about when you were a kid?" Kevin asked. "What were you like?"

"Perfect," Mia shrugged and looked away from Kevin, "I loved princesses, never got into any trouble, and I always did as I was told."

"We're going to have some very well behaved children then…"

"Oh, no," Mia shook her head, "You were a well behaved kid, but if influenced, you could turn into a wicked, well, you could be a pain in the ass if you wanted. And you were a know-it-all. You were cute, but you weren't always easy."

"You couldn't have always been easy, then," Kevin said. Mia shrugged her shoulders and gave Kevin a look that told him he would be getting anything out of her. He gave her a playful glare as the doorbell rang. "You'll confess by the end of the night. There's got to be a little stain in your childhood."

"Just answer the door and give the little Monsters candy," Mia rolled her eyes and then walked over to the punch bowl. She had purposely made the punch taste extremely bitter and wanted to see the face of the first person who went to drink from it. Her victim was Ji.

Kevin went right for the door. The Samurai weren't expecting trick-or-treaters. They didn't have neighbours and so didn't have to worry about the bell ringing all night. This one time, Kevin assumed it was just Emily, Terran, and Carrie trying to get a little extra candy from the house. He opened the door and shook his head, "Trick-or-treating needs to be done on other…" he trailed off as his jaw stopped working and hung uselessly. These weren't trick-or-treaters, and it wasn't Emily and the kids. Mia's parents and Terry had come for a visit.

Mia's parents. Both of Mia's parents. Kevin had no idea what to do.

"I know what it looks like," Noa held up a hand and then hugged her ex-husband tight, "Let us in. We need to talk to Mia."

"My dad's back!" Terry cried happily. His smile was so bright, he lit up Halloween Night. Kevin shook his head. This was impossible.

"We… Mr. Watanabe, I… but you… and Dayu… you're dead! Your ashes are… on the bookshelf?"

Kevin peered into the living room and saw the urn that kept Simon's ashes were still sitting exactly where Mia had placed them. He turned back to his future father in-law and shook his head. He rubbed his eyes. It was just an illusion. It had to be an illusion.

"Emily, this isn't funny. Stop it, before Mia sees this."

"Kevin, please," Simon put his hand on Kevin's shoulder, "I assure you, this is no joke. Please, let me in. I'll explain everything."

Kevin looked at the hand. He could feel the hand. It was real.

"Emily, Carrie, Terran…"

"It's Terrance, actually," Terry rubbed the back of his neck, "but, uh, I like Terry a lot better. Just let us talk to Mia, please!"

"Dude!" Mike's voice called from down the hall, "Kev, you're missing all the fun! Ji just drank the punch and now he can't get the taste out of his mouth. You need to come see, it's hila… No fucking way…"

Kevin turned around and grabbed Mike by the arm. He looked the green Ranger in the eye, "I need you to keep Mia distracted. Whatever it takes, got it?"

"Dude, is that…" Mike pointed to Mia's family at the door. Kevin shrugged his shoulders and shoved Mike down the hall.

"That's what we're going to find out. Keep her distracted. I'm begging you."

"But… but… but…"

"Mike!"

Mike nodded his head and raced down the hall, "Mia! I… uh… I… uh… Can we… uh… Mia… Mia… Mia!"

Kevin groaned. Mike would come up with something eventually. He told Mia's family to wait at the door and closed it, just so Mia wouldn't accidentally see her family. He knew she would more than freak out when she saw her father standing at the door. He poked his head into the common room. He could already tell the mood of the party had shifted. Apparently, the dead coming back to life threw Mike off his game a little, and he had been unable to subtly distract Mia away from the party. All eyes turned to Kevin.

"Do you have any idea what that was about?" Serena asked him. Kevin nodded his head, signalled for the Rangers to give him a minute and then left. When he came back, he had Mia's mother and Terry in tow. It wasn't too surprising that they had turned up, but very unexpected they do so unannounced and on Halloween.

Then Mia's father walked into the room.


	28. Pranks And Haunted Houses

While Mike was doing his very best to keep Mia distracted, the rest of the Samurai who were home sat in the common room and though they knew it was rude, they couldn't help but stare at Simon, Mia's father.

Finally, Antonio did it. He went in for the poke. Simon simply stared at him.

"I'm very much real."

"You're a pile of ashes in a jar. How is this… you can't really be… You never even made it to the Shiba House," Antonio shook his head and looked around the room, "This has to be a joke. A sick, twisted, evil joke. First Carrie comes back, now Mia's dad."

"An explanation would be nice," Ji nodded his head and looked Simon's way. "It might help clear up some of the confusion."

"I don't remember much of what happened," Simon shrugged his shoulders. "The last thing I remember before waking up in the woods is Dayu. She's the one who murdered me, right?"

"Yeah. She cut off your head," Serena stated. "I'm not the doctor here, but I'm pretty sure the odds of surviving decapitation are…"

"None," Terry nodded, confirming Serena's statement, but there was a huge smile on his face, "I don't know how he did it either, but dad's back! Maybe destroying Serrator…"

"Dayu killed him."

"Serrator's also the one who cursed Dayu. Maybe killing him gave her a little spurt of generosity and…"

Serena burst out laughing. It was an uncontrollable laugh. She clutched her stomach and slipped off her stool and to the floor. She had never laughed so hard in her life, but she had also never heard something so stupidly funny. Terry didn't know much about the Samurai ways. He was only involved it in because his half-sister was the pink Ranger. But if there was anything to know, it was that Dayu didn't have a generous bone in her body. And even if she had been overcome with the strange feeling to do something nice, she would never, ever right a wrong she had done to any of the Samurai – least of all meddling Mia.

"Uh, Serena…" James gently helped his fiancée back up to her stool, "It's not that funny."

"We're being played," Serena nodded her head, "This is a joke. It's got to be. People don't return from the dead."

"Mike did," Kevin pointed out. "We cremated him, just like we did Mr. Watanabe."

"Yeah, but Mike's actually got a story behind coming back," Serena shook her head. She looked to Simon and sighed, "Sorry, but I don't know isn't going to cut it for me. Waking up and not remembering anything about how you came back to life doesn't prove this is really happening. Mia spiked the punch with something good."

"Only Ji drank the punch," Kate stated. Serena shrugged her shoulders.

"Then it's the food or… whatever. I'm not buying this. Not for a minute…"

"It doesn't matter," Noa said. She held her ex-husband's hand tightly and smiled at him, "All that matters is what Mia thinks. Where is she? We have something we want to tell her."

"Look, no offence Mr. and Mrs. Watanabe," Kevin shook his head and sighed, "but Serena's right. As much as we all want this to be true, it's still a little fishy. Mia was heartbroken when you died, sir. This will just…"

"Tear her apart?" Terry looked to his future brother in-law, "Kevin, he's my dad too. I know exactly how Mia felt. She's not alone in any of this."

"Sorry. Maybe once all this Halloween's stuffed passed and we know this isn't some cruel joke, I'll let you see her, but for now, why don't you just…"

"She's our daughter," Simon got up and stared at Kevin, "I know what's best for her."

"Then back off," Kevin growled. "You weren't there when you died. You have no idea the shit she went through. None of you do. She's safe with us, so get out."

"You will not…"

"You heard him," Jayden stood up and gestured to the door, "Mia is your daughter, but this is my home. I kindly ask that you leave."

Simon stared Kevin down, but the blue Ranger wouldn't budge. He was taller, stronger, and there was no way he would back down. He wanted to be wrong, but more than that, he wanted Mia to be happy. If this did turn out to be real, he would apologize, but until then, he would play it safe.

Realizing his Kevin wasn't going to back down, Simon scoffed and turned his back on the Samurai. He called for Noa and Terry to follow him as he stormed out of the house. Understandably he was upset. Kevin felt badly and he hoped that this would pay off in the end.

"Mia's a lucky girl," James gave Kevin a pat on the shoulder.

Kevin nodded his head, "She's got good friends too. Thanks guys. You have no idea how much this would have upset her."

Jayden looked to Kevin sympathetically. He was the only other person in the house who did know. Kevin had made the right call for now. The only thing left to do was figure out whether this was a prank or not – and keep Mia in the dark until they knew the truth.

-Samurai-

Emily watched her daughter and nephew run up and down the driveways to the houses in the neighbourhood as they collected as much candy as they could get. It felt weird taking her grown kids out for Halloween, but she loved every minute of it. Terran, as it turned out, had a bit of a sweet tooth – much like his aunt, and hit eyes lit up whenever candy was dropped in his bag. Carrie's smile lit up the night from start to finish. This time with her mother was everything she had dreamt it would be.

When they cleared the neighbourhood of candy, the trio went to the park and claimed a bench. Carrie and Terran dumped out their treats and Emily couldn't help but sneak a peek for unwrapped or suspicious looking candies. Though the kids were old enough to look after themselves (hell, Terran was older than she was), the maternal instinct was a powerful thing.

"That's more candy than I ever got," Emily smiled and let the kids eat a few pieces on the spot, but suggested they save most of it for when they went back home, "Most Halloweens, I'd have to donate half the candy I got to Abby. She'd always get me midway through my route and steal everything I had."

"Dad said you were bullied," Terran looked to his aunt sadly. Emily shrugged her shoulders and gave him a smile.

"It was tough, but I'm better for it," she snatched a chocolate bar from her daughter's hands, "Sorry, Monkey, I didn't walk all over the city just to go home empty-bellied. Pay up."

"Hey, I earned that fair and square," Carrie pouted. Emily smiled, kissed her daughter on the head and then ate the chocolate bar.

"I gave birth to you."

"No, another version of you did. You owe me a candy."

"Or," Terran started collecting the candy back in his bag, "I overheard some kids talking about a haunted house that's so scary, the owners are giving away a bucket full of candy to every person brave enough to step foot inside. We fight Nighlok, how scary can it really be?"

Emily shrank into the bench and shook her head, "I don't really do haunted stuff. I like little scares and stuff but… no haunted houses. Especially not without Mike or Serena nearby."

"Please, mom," Carrie put her hands together and started to beg. Emily instantly hated how her daughter had inherited her irresistible puppy look. "It's my only Halloween with you ever. Once I go home, there won't be haunted house or even trick-or-treating. The closest we get are little punks who walk into your cave when you're away and take everything you have."

Emily groaned loudly, "I guess compared to Serrator and Xandred, plastic monsters, special effects and creepy music can't be that bad… though Mia and Kevin did go through a scary haunted house last year."

"Pretty please, mommy," Carrie continued to beg and Emily was forced to cave.

"Fine. Let's go. But I'm going to warn you, any ideas you have of a strong, brave, fearless me are going to quickly disappear the moment something jumps out behind me. And I might wet myself. Several times. And cry."

"You are a dork," Terran rolled his eyes. Carrie hugged her mother tight. She was exactly like her uncle had described her.

"I'll protect you, mommy."

"Stop doing that…" Emily grumbled. "Now I know why Serena and Mia hate to love me."


	29. Sudden Falls

Seeing Mia's family had put a damper on the Halloween party. Everyone in the Shiba House tried to enjoy the rest of the night, especially once Mike was no longer able to distract Mia and she returned to the party. Knowing what they knew, though, they couldn't enjoy this night.

Nighlok liked to play tricks. With Serrator gone, there was some doubt about who would be this cruel. Time and time again, different teammates approached Kevin with the thought that it was Serrator behind this nasty prank, only for Kevin to remind them Serrator had been destroyed. The deceptive monster had played so many games and had caused so much pain, putting the other Nighlok in the shadows. Now, there was no telling who would be this cruel, or who even knew about Mia's family, how this would hurt her, and who was smart and powerful enough to pull off this kind of prank. The best thought Kevin had was this was Dayu adding insult to injury, but he was almost certain Dayu was too busy chasing Dekker around. She hated Mia, but not enough to go out of her way to hurt her. Mia was no threat to Dayu's potential relationship with Dekker – which was all she cared about. Mia was just the meddling pink Ranger.

But that didn't mean Kevin scratched Dayu's name off from the top of the list, he just wasn't completely certain.

Mia seemed to know there was something wrong. There was no hiding it from her. She always knew. When the others started to turn in for the night, and gave her sympathetic looks, she knew something was up. She wrapped her arms around Kevin's waist and held him close.

"What's going on?"

Kevin didn't like lying to Mia, but he saw no other option, "Nothing. Just a prank gone wrong."

"Kevin…"

"I don't really want to talk about it tonight," Kevin shook his head. He wrapped his arms around Mia and hugged her tight, "Let's just turn in. We'll all feel better in the morning – once the sugar rush wears off."

"Are you sure?" Mia asked, "We can talk about it, if…"

"Talking will just make it worse."

-Samurai-

Emily tried her best to be brave as she was dragged into the Haunted House by Terran and Carrie. Both were excited to experience their first and only Haunted House and had insisted Emily tag along. She had already warned them of her fear but couldn't deny them this experience and was forced to find some courage and dive in head first.

On top of that, though she had admitted she was scared, she wanted to be the brave mother her daughter saw her as. Carrie had been spending a lot of time with Mike due to Emily needing to rest and recover from Kevin's attack, but whenever Carrie and Emily did get time together, Emily saw the pride in her daughter's eyes – and it wasn't misplaced. Emily would do anything for her daughter, including die. She had done so in Carrie's world, and her only regret was the pain it caused Carrie, and she had almost done so in this world again, taking a shot that was meant to kill Carrie.

Reminding herself she fought real monsters daily, and had come face to face with much worse than plastic toys or people dressed up as ghouls, mummies, or demons, Emily made it inside the house. She was scared, but she tried not to let it show.

Still, her screams were the loudest. When something jumped out at her, she jumped a foot in the air, screamed, and punched it. Fortunately, it was just a dummy vampire, designed to jump out when people walked by.

She couldn't be mocked for her screams and scares. Terran and Carrie were also scared, but they were having a good time and a good laugh at Emily.

"Relax, mom. You know we're safe," Carrie chuckled and took Emily's hand. "They just jump out at us. No one's grabbing us or pulling us."

"And they're lucky they aren't," Terran smiled, "Aunt Emily would knock their lights out. Poor ghouls wouldn't know what hit them."

"Don't I get points for just being here?" Emily took a deep breath and then pushed Terran ahead, "C'mon, kid, next room."

"Ladies first," Terran stepped out of her way and gestured for Emily to walk. She shook her head and looked to Carrie.

"Age before beauty," Carrie insisted. Emily grumbled. She hated the kids.

The next room was just as spooky as the last. Flashing lights made all the fake props look twice as scary and Emily wasn't sure where the next scare would come from. Whenever she thought to keep her eye on one thing, something would jump out from behind her. She was going to have nightmares for life. At least Mike would be happy, as he would never be deprived of a nighttime cuddle.

Then again, if this house got any scarier, Emily was going to need more than Mike to chase away her nightmares. Serena and Mia would have to crawl into her bed, as well as the rest of the house. For life. Maybe Mike wouldn't be so happy.

"Care, I hope you know you're not getting any brothers or sisters after tonight," Emily turned around but Terran and Carrie weren't behind her. "Carrie? Terran?"

Despite her mind telling her to move forward and get out, Emily swallowed the lump in the throat and retraced her steps, "Guys, this isn't funny. We need to stick together. You promised!"

She went back to the last room but the kids weren't in sight. Suddenly, the floor disappeared right from under her and Emily fell into the basement.

"Worst Haunted House ever," Emily muttered and picked herself up from the ground. The basement wasn't decorated for Halloween at all, but the concrete walls, the dripping noise in the distance, and the dark made it even more terrifying than the rooms above. "This isn't worth all the candy in the world…"


	30. Sweet Deaths Bitter Returns

Emily wasn't sure where she was, but she sure as hell wasn't where she was supposed to be. The room was too dark to really see much, but from what she could see, there wasn't much.

"Terran? Carrie?" Emily hugged herself. Not only was the room dark, but it was also cold. She pulled out her Samuraizer, which wasn't a bad idea anyways, and used the screen as a light, "Are you okay?"

"Aunt Emily!"

She shined the light to the corner of the room and saw Terran sitting over Carrie. He waved for Emily to come over.

"What happened?" Emily gently helped Carrie sit up and looked her over for signs of injury.

"We fell," Terran pointed to the ceiling. The trapdoor above them was still dropped open and swinging.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Terran nodded his head but he rubbed his shoulder as though it was hurting more than he was letting on, "I fell on my side," he explained, "I think Care hit her head, though."

Emily looked her daughter in the eyes, "Carrie, do you know where we are?"

"Do you?" Carrie grumbled and put her hand on her forehead, "Ugh, is this part of the Haunted House, because if it is he needs a softer floor."

Emily breathed a sigh of relief and kissed her daughter's forehead, "I'll get us out of here, I promise."

"Uh… Aunt Em?" Terran tugged on Emily's arm, "I uh… I don't think we're supposed to get out?"

Emily looked to her nephew and then to where he was pointing. She saw a man, dressed as a mad scientist. Either it was his Halloween costume and this was a really elaborate Haunted House, or he was truly mad. Emily didn't want to take any risks. She helped Carrie up to her feet and stood protectively in front of her daughter and nephew. She glared at the man, "Where's the bucket of candy we were promised?"

The man didn't say anything. From his lab coat he pulled out a handful of candy and offered it to Emily and the kids. She shook her head, "That's hardly a bucketful. And it's not even good candy."

The man still didn't say anything, but he pulled out a gun.

"Uh… Aunt Em, is that what I think it is?"

Emily nodded her head and groaned, "I really, _really_ wish I had the Bullzooka on me."

"Trick-or-treat," the mad scientist offered the candy again. Terran and Carrie looked to Emily worriedly.

"Death by candy or gunshot wound?" Carrie asked. "Personally, I would choose candy."

Emily clutched her Samuraizer tight as her fingers traced the buttons. Without drawing attention to her Samuraizer, she was trying to find the button that would inform the others of the emergency. The mad scientist seemed to notice and shot at Emily's hand. He hit the Samuraizer dead on, breaking it and knocking it right out of Emily's hand.

"Candy. Go with the candy," Emily told the kids and took candies from the scientist. She stuck one in her mouth, "At least it'll be a sweet… nope… these taste like poop."

-Samurai-

It was a strange sight, to say the least. Normally, when Storm needed to be let out, she would scratch gently at the door and whine. Sometimes, she would track one of the Samurai down and led them to the front hall. She never growled, but this morning, when Mia got up and made her way to the kitchen she heard Storm growling.

"Hey, silly," Mia walked over to the dog and the door, "If you gotta go, just say so."

Mia opened the door to let the dog out, but Storm barked in panic and ran behind Mia's legs to hide. Mia looked down at the dog curiously and then up. Her heart instantly stopped beating.

"Dad?"

"Hey, princess," Simon smiled brightly and opened his arms for a hug. Mia was frozen stiff, so Simon took her in his arms and squeezed her gently, "How have you been?"

"B-but…" Mia screwed her eyes shut. She had seen her father several times since his death, mostly in dreams and nightmares and a few times when her mind wanted to play tricks on her. This time, though, it felt very real, and it hurt her deeply. All she could think about was his death. One simple swipe of Dayu's sword and his head had been removed completely from his body. He bled out everywhere, but didn't have the time to plead for his life, to scream, or to know he was about to be killed. It was Mia who suffered his death.

She broke down in his arms, sobbing loudly. Her legs gave out, but her father was already holding her up. He pulled her in a little closer and kissed the top of her head, "I know. It's okay, Mia."

"Mia, sweetheart?" she heard another voice and she couldn't believe it. Her mother was here too. She hugged her father tight and looked over his shoulder, seeing her mother standing there with a smile, "Your father and I have great news!"

"They're getting married!" Terry cried as he jumped out from behind Mia's mother. There was a huge smile on his face, which made up for the lack of smile on Mia's. In fact, there was no happiness coming from Mia at all. Hearing the news, seeing the smile on Terry's face, she pulled away from her father, from all three members of her family, and stared at them in horror. Her chin quivered.

"No…"

"Mia," her mother reached out to take her hands but Mia pulled away again. Her mother looked worried, "Sweetheart, isn't this what you wanted? It's sudden, I know, but I realized I couldn't live without him and…"

"NO!" Mia shouted, ran inside the house and slammed the door in her parents' and Terry's face. She couldn't move anymore after that, though. Her knees buckled and she fell to the floor, a sobbing mess. Storm, who was still a little reluctant around people since Carrie had punched her, stood near Mia, whining to ask what was wrong. Mia looked to the dog, "You… you saw them too, right?"

Storm suddenly ran off, racing down the hall and around the corner. She came back only moments later and jumped in Mia's lap. Right behind her, Kevin came running into the hall, speeding up his pace when he saw Mia on the floor crying.

"Mia…?"

"Someone's lying to me," Mia whispered and looked up to Kevin teary eyed. He knelt before her.

"What happened?"

"I'm not crazy, I swear."

"Just tell me what happened. I won't judge."

Mia gulped just before she threw her arms around Kevin's neck, "Terry's happy because our dad is marrying my mom."

"What?" Kevin asked, a little surprised as he soothingly stroked Mia's back. He looked worried. Her words made about as much sense as actually seeing her father, like the night before. He only believed her because he knew there was something strange going on. He had seen her father alive. The whole house had seen him alive, despite having seen him die.

"I'm not crazy, I promise."

"I know," Kevin hugged her tight and lifted her into his arms. He wanted to take her somewhere private, somewhere safe so the others wouldn't bother her. They were all well-meaning, but Mia didn't need them hovering around her. Storm followed loyally, whining the entire way. Kevin had never been happier of the decision to buy a dog. He carried Mia to their bed and set her down. Storm jumped up on the bed and cuddled with Mia. Kevin gave her a kiss.

"Do you need anything?"

Mia shook her head and gently stroked Storm's head, "Aside from an explanation?"

"I'm working on that," Kevin promised her.

Mia looked up and sighed, "They aren't real."

"I know he's not."

"None of them are," Mia shook her head, "Mom and dad had plenty of chances to get back together, there's no reason they would do so now."

"Apparently, your dad is back from the dead," Kevin shrugged his shoulders and sat down, "That's why Emily and Mike are married."

"Terry wouldn't be happy about it," Mia looked Kevin right in the eye. "He'd want his parents to get together just as much as I want mine to get together. He wouldn't be happy if dad came back to life, broke up with his mom, and promised to marry mine. I'd call him out on his bullshit if he ever said he was."

"You think they're all a trick?"

Mia reached into her end table drawer and pulled out her cell phone. She offered it to Kevin, "You can call her if you want."

"Do you want to do it?"

Mia shook her head, "I'm having a nightmare. I can't…"

"I'll take care of it," Kevin promised. He gave her another kiss, made her promise not to do anything stupid and then left the room.

Mia took a deep breath and looked down at Storm. She hugged the little dog tight and closed her eyes, "Promise me this will all be over soon."


	31. Stay Strong

There was nothing more important to Kevin than Mia's happiness. After promising her everything would be better, he got straight to work. He called a house meeting and gathered everyone in the common room. Mia was certain there was something strange going on with her parents, and though Kevin had no doubt that she was right, he wanted to know what exactly. Someone coming back from the dead was highly suspicious. Mia had also pointed out to Kevin her parents' weird behaviour. She had told him a long time ago about her parents' divorce and how it had affected her. Of course, at first it hadn't been an easy thing for her, but over time she had gotten used to it, and grew to love her family again. She had always wished that her parents would one day get back together, but knew the reality was that they didn't love each other romantically anymore. When her parents returned and announced to Mia they wanted to remarry, that had been Mia's first clue something was wrong. Kevin couldn't help but agree with her.

What really seemed to tip Mia off to sneaky behaviour was Terry's excitement. Mia hadn't gotten much chance to bond with her little brother, but she knew he was a good kid. He would want their father to be happy not matter who he married, but to be happy his father came back from the dead to dump his mother was stretching it a little far. Mia wouldn't have blamed him if he hadn't been excited. Hell, she would have completely understood if he hated the whole arrangement, but he seemed to be happier than she should have been. When Mia shared that with Kevin, he couldn't help but agree again. Kevin passed that news around to the group and it was decided there was something strange going on.

Kevin was certain it was Nighlok related – but there was no way to prove it. Mia's parents and Terry had walked right up to the Shiba House. If they were Nighlok – even Nighlok in disguise, the protective Symbols around the house would have kept them away. There was something else going on.

"Jay, please tell me you know something?"

The red Ranger shook his head and sighed, "Sorry, Kev. I'm stumped."

"What if we're under a spell or something," Antonio said. He pointed to the punch bowl, which had been left out from the Halloween Party the night before, "Nighlok have cast spells and poisoned us through portals before. We went out yesterday to get the stuff for the party."

"Not all of us, though," Kate shook her head, "but we all saw them. We all saw him."

"Nighlok and spells have gotten through the shields before," James shrugged. "Doesn't Octoroo have those crazy seals and stuff that help his sneak around?"

Kevin nodded and was about to say something when the Gap Sensor went off. The Rangers all jumped out of their chairs and looked down at the map. Kevin clenched his fist, "That better be the bastard who's doing this or he's wasting my time."

"There's one way to find out," Ji said and gestured to the door, "Go, Samurai. Be careful."

Kevin led the Samurai out, but bumped into Mia in the hallway. He told the others he would catch up and gently held her arms, "Mia…"

"Please tell me it's related."

"I don't know," Kevin shrugged and pulled her in for a hug, "But we're kicking his ass either way. You stay here, though."

"What? Why?"

"Mia, please…"

"Kevin, if it's the asshole who's pretending to be my father, I need to…"

"Stay home. I'll take care of it. What if it is your dad? I mean, what if he looks like him? Will you still destroy him?"

Mia shook her head as tears slipped down her cheeks. Kevin gave her a kiss and looked her in the eyes, "I promise, I'll take care of it. Just stay here. Please."

Mia nodded her head and stepped away from Kevin sadly. As she watched him go, praying that destroying this Nighlok would make this living nightmare go away, Kate pulled her into her arms and hugged her close.

-Samurai-

In the basement of the Haunted House, Carrie was finally starting to come too. Having been forced to choose death by candy or by bullet, she had chosen candy. She swallowed the candy, following her mother's lead, and then couldn't remember anything after that, but the fact that she was waking up now in the cold, dark basement meant she was still alive.

"Carrie, c'mon, sweetheart, don't do this to me," she heard her mother's voice and felt something tapping against her cheek. She moaned and stirred but found she couldn't move much. Then she heard a click and her body was pulled down by its own weight. Fortunately, it was quickly caught by a gentle pair of arms that held her up. Drowsily, Carrie tried to look around.

"Mom…?"

"I'm right here, Care-Bear," Emily's soothing voice assured her. "Everything's going to be okay. Terran?"

"I've got him! Get her out of here!"

"Going up," Carrie heard her mother say before she blacked out again. Emily felt her daughter go limp in her arms and groaned as she tried to hold her weight. Carrie took after her in size, but was still slightly taller than she was. It wasn't by much – just enough to make carrying her awkward, and because she was dead weight, she was awkward and heavy.

"Takes after me with the love of cookies, too," Emily muttered. She had her Samuraizer in her pocket, but it was broken, and Terran was using her future one to hold off the mad scientist. Carrie had Mike's future one, which Emily couldn't operate, so the current yellow Ranger had to shut her eyes and focus. She could Symbol Power without the Samuraizer. She had been taught a long time ago. It was draining, though. A lot more draining than with the Samuraizer.

Still, Emily was desperate to get out. She forced the ground beneath her feet to rise and it lifted her and Carrie up to the main floor of the house. Emily crawled up through the trapdoor and set Carrie on the floor before she descended.

Terran was doing his best to hold off the mad scientist, but whatever drug had been in the candies, and whatever the scientist had done to him still had an effect. Emily was feeling much better, likely because he hadn't gotten around to experimenting on her before she woke up.

Emily saw Terran was losing steam and summoned her Spin Sword. She wasn't recovered enough to last for long, and the Symbols were draining her, but maternal instinct kicked in. This man hadn't just attacked her. He had attacked her nephew and her daughter. He was getting his ass kicked.

He didn't see her coming and so he kept his eyes on Terran. He stood over the boy, who landed on his butt on the ground and was helpless to do anything but stare at the gun that threatened to take his life. Emily, with the hilt her sword, smashed the gun from the scientist's hand and then leveled the sword at his neck.

"I dare you to try something now."

The scientist gulped and then looked down at the Spin Sword, and then to Emily, "You're one of them! Those good for nothing…"

Emily smashed the hilt of the sword against his head. He dropped to the ground and she knew she had one more Symbol left. She made it count.

"Symbol Power. Freeze"

"Aunt, Em," Terran jumped up and grabbed Emily, steadying her when she swayed, "What did you do?"

"He'll be fine. I didn't hurt him… much."

"Do you know who he was?"

"The world is full of bad people, Terran," Emily nodded her head.

"I heard him say something," Terran whispered. "He said it just before you woke up. He said something about the geysers and his wife."

Emily shrugged her shoulders and pulled away from Terran, "I'll be fine to get Carry home. Think you can take him?"

"We're kidnapping him?" Terran asked. Emily nodded her head.

"I don't like it either. But our alternative is leaving him here to thaw, knowing what he knows, and crazy like he is. We get him home, Ji contacts one of his friends, and he's no longer a threat to us or the city."

"What are they going to do to him?" Terran asked and gently picked up the scientist. Emily could see he worried for the man. She gave him a warm smile.

"I'll make Ji promise no one will hurt him. We'll do all we can to help him. The city's been through a lot. Maybe he just can't handle it."

Terran nodded and sighed sadly, "And his wife? She's not around. She's not crazy too, is she? What's going to happen to her?"

Emily shrugged her shoulders, "Let's just get him home. Before he thaws and turns into a problem again."

-Samurai-

Mia paced back and forth in the common room, finding it way too hard to watch the battle against the Nighlok that had decided to show his face. She had followed the new reports at first, with Ji, Kate, and James by her side. She saw the Nighlok's face, and Ji described him as Trickster – a Nighlok who loved to play pranks on humans that would cause them misery. It didn't take a genius to put the pieces together. Then Nighlok had summoned up her parents and Terry. Dayu knew all about her father's death – because she was responsible for it – and had faced her mother in the previous war. That was all Trickster needed to know for his plan. He had summoned up images of her parents to come to the Shiba House and taunt with her – illusions. They weren't actually real, so the Gap Sensors and the shield didn't pick up on their presence.

Now, they had been summoned again to fight the Rangers. Mia knew they weren't real, but she couldn't watch her family fight, well, her family. So instead, she was keeping herself in the dark, praying for the Rangers to come home from battle soon with good news.

Though it wouldn't really be good news. Her father would still be dead.

"Tea?" Kate offered her. To support Mia, no one was keeping an eye on the Rangers except for what the map showed – just in case there was an emergency. They were all waiting for good news. They were all anxious for the door to open.

"I'm not thirsty."

"Want me to convince one of the Samurai to use a Symbol that'll make you forget all about this?"

"Please."

Kate smiled and shook her head, "I'm really proud of you."

"For what?"

"Calling your family out on their bullshit. If that had been my dad knocking on the door, I wouldn't give a damn about reality. It takes a lot to be strong enough to know this isn't a miracle."

"It's not that incredible," Mia shook her head.

"Stop doing this, sweetie," Kate sighed and gently brushed Mia's hair behind her ear, "You're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. You do amazing things daily. You keep this crazy family together. That's a feat in itself."

Kate gave Mia a kiss on the forehead and then a smile, "I'm so proud of you. And I'm sure he would be too."

"I miss him."

"I know," Kate got up. She gave Mia's shoulder a gentle squeeze before leaving the pink Ranger to her thoughts, sensing Mia needed a moment to herself. Kate didn't get far, though, when the door opened. She hurried into the hallway, Mia was right behind her, and Ji and James rushed out from their respective rooms. They were expecting the Rangers.

"Emily?" Mia asked and it took her a minute to realize she hadn't seen the yellow Ranger or the kids since the night before. If they were just getting home now, it meant they had been out all night.

Which wasn't good.

"Help?" Emily asked and Carrie was taken from her arms by James. Emily groaned, "She's heavy."

"Where the hell have you been?" James growled – trying to be angry but it was hard when he was feeling guilty. The arrival of Mia's father had distracted him. He hadn't noticed his sister in-law was missing – or that she had even left the house.

"You won't believe what happened," Terran muttered and flicked his thumb over his shoulder, "Ji, there's uh… something you need to take care of outside."

"Someone," Emily clarified. Ji looked a little confused but peeked out the door. He saw a man dressed as a mad scientist standing on his porch.

"Can I help you?"

"He's frozen. He kidnapped us. He deserved it."

"Aunt Em kicked his butt, though," Terran assured the others, seeing the worried looks on Mia's, James', and Kate's faces. "But we couldn't leave him."

"I'll take care of him," Ji promised and stepped outside. Before he closed the door behind him, Emily saw him reaching for his Samuraizer phone and she knew he would get in touch with some of his very many friends.

"What happened to Carrie?" James asked and looked down at her body in his arms, "Is she sleeping?"

"We ate some weird candy," Emily explained. "Carrie got the worst of it, I think. She kind of woke up for a bit earlier."

"You ate weird candy?" Mia asked.

Emily nodded her head, "It was that or get shot. Candy was the sweeter choice."

"Come with me," Kate sighed and led the way to the common room. "Do you know what kind of candy you ate, and why Carrie won't wake up?"

"We were kidnapped by a mad scientist," Terran said, "Do the math."

"You think that's a weird night," Mia muttered and rolled her eyes, "My family stopped by."

"How are they?" Emily asked. She shook her head as Kate came by to have a look at her, and gestured for her aunt to start with one of the kids. Emily was still a little tired, but she didn't feel sick yet.

"Dad's alive, mom's in love, and Terry's happy his parents aren't getting married."

"Wait, say that again."

"Terran's…"

"The part about your dad."

"He's alive."

"But we saw him… he…"

Mia nodded her head, "A trick. The Nighlok played a trick on us for Halloween."

Emily looked to Mia sadly for a moment before she launched herself at the pink Ranger, swallowing her in a tight, loving hug, "Mia…"

"It's okay. He didn't trick me. Not for long, anyways. Besides, I guess I'm a little glad dad's not back. I don't know how you do it."

"I don't know how you do it," Emily shook her head, "Just seeing him for a moment and then… I'm so sorry, Mia. If there's anything I can do…"

"Yeah," Mia gently pushed Emily away, "Don't eat strange candy from strange men. My dad dying is my cap."

"It was candy or get shot! I can't afford another scar! I'm already zombie fairy Frankenstein!"

Mia shook her head and looked at Emily's costume. Naturally, Emily, Carrie, and Terran were still in their costumes, having been out all night with no way of getting changed, "Your wing is broken, zombie fairy Frankenstein."

"What part of kidnapped by a mad scientist with a gun do you not get?"


	32. Halloween Is Finally Over

The Trickster had been a tough foe at first. Kevin had to admit, using Mia's family as soldiers was a good way to throw the Rangers off, but in the end, the tricks weren't enough. The Samurai stood strong, reminding themselves that Mia's family wasn't real, and defeated them, leaving Trickster with nothing to do but fight. Though the Nighlok was tough, he had been made to trick people, not fight. Against five Samurai he couldn't hold his own and was quickly defeated. Kevin got the last laugh, and was excited to go home to Mia and tell her her father's ghost wouldn't be haunting her anymore.

They walked through the door and noticed the house was quiet. Mia, Ji, James, and Kate weren't the noisiest of people, but the silence was eerie.

"Mia?" Kevin called and suddenly footsteps raced across the house. Before she jumped into his arms, Mia looked to Kevin for the nod. "We won. No one's going to trick us like that again."

"That was a crazy Halloween," Antonio shook his head and sighed, "Promise me something, guys. Next Halloween, we won't have to worry about crazy Nighlok and the return of the dead."

Jayden gave his boyfriend a pat on the back and then whispered something in his ear. Antonio groaned loudly again, but Jayden was right. Halloween was over, the partying was done and it was time to get back to work. For Antonio, that meant working on creating a way home for Carrie and Terran, who didn't belong in this world at this time. Jayden went with him to help. It was obvious Symbol Power would be required, and no one knew Symbol Power better than Jayden.

Kevin took Mia by the hand and walked her to their bedroom for privacy. It was obvious her father's reappearance had shaken her.

Mike scratched the back of his neck and looked around. His mind had been a little occupied with helping Mia and Kevin deal with Mia's ghost family, but it hadn't escaped him that when he woke up that morning, Emily hadn't been in his bed, and she hadn't gone to bed either. She had warned him ahead of time that she would take the kids out for the night and he assumed she would be out late to spend time with Carrie. She had a record of making stupid decisions in the past, but she was a lot more responsible about letting Mike know where she was and when she would be coming home. It wasn't like her to be gone for so long.

Especially when she had their daughter with her. If anything happened to either of them, Mike wouldn't know what he would do.

"In the bedroom," he heard Kate say and saw her standing by the doorway to the common room. He thanked her and walked down the hall.

-Samurai-

"I don't know how you do it," Kevin shook his head and looked to Mia sympathetically, "If that had been my dad, I'd have killed some… Well, I'd have been upset."

"Kevin…"

"Yeah?"

"We… I mean… we're getting married, right?"

"Of course," Kevin looked to Mia worriedly, "Why would you even ask? It'll be a big deal. The wedding of your dreams, I promise."

"And we're having kids, right?"

Kevin gulped and nodded his head. He wanted to be a father, but the thought did still scare the shit out of him, "Yeah."

"I want a girl."

"I know."

"I want a boy, too."

Kevin sighed and took a seat beside Mia on the bed. He took her hand and held it gently, "Simon's a cool name for a kid."

"You think so? If you don't want to we can…"

"I like Simon."

"I just don't want dad to… die."

"He's not going to… We're always going to remember him, Mia. He's the brave man who wanted to wear the pink suit because he loved his daughter. Crazy stupid, but brave."

Mia nodded her head and she leaned into Kevin. He took her in his arms, "I'd like to meet him. For real."

"He's dead, Kev."

"Tell me about him. If you want. Like, your first memory of him, or something."

Mia nestled into Kevin's arms and smiled, "He dropped me off at school on my first day of kindergarten. I remember clinging to his leg so tightly that when he finally got me to let go, he left the school with a limp."

"How did he get you to let go?"

"He promised me… cookies."

"Your memories, Mia," Kevin chuckled, teasing her, "Not Emily's."

"Every kid likes cookies. He promised that when school was over, he would pick me up and he would have a plate of cookies waiting for me at home. Fresh baked too. He didn't lie. When I got home, they were there on the counter just waiting for me. But by then, Ii had forgotten all about it. I had so much fun at school."

"So, does that mean I'm baking cookies for Simon, too?"

"You can be your own dad," Mia chuckled and shook her head.

"My dad didn't bake me cookies after school," Kevin answered. "He took me to swimming lessons. My snack was carrot sticks."

Mia looked up at Kevin and smiled brightly, "Thanks, Kevin."

-Samurai-

Mike walked into his bedroom and he found Emily and Carrie passed out together in the bed. Mike wasn't sure what had happened during the night, but they were both home and they looked okay. If anything, they looked happier than Mike had ever seen them. Wrapped up in each other's arms, they looked like there was nothing that could hurt them. Quickly, Mike snapped a picture with his Samuraizer.

"They're both fine," Ji walked in and promised Mike. "The drugs he used, as it turns out, are harmless. We are very fortunate."

"What? Drugs? Ji, what the hell happened?"

Ji gave Mike a pat on the shoulder, "A close call. They are resting. The mad scientist is being taken care of as we speak. As hard as you all try, you cannot protect everyone."

"What are you talking about?"

"The scientist's wife was one of the casualties in…" Ji trailed off when he saw a seriously confused look on Mike's face. He chuckled, "It doesn't matter. They are safe and sound, that is what's important."

"You're not telling me something," Mike frowned. Ji turned away and walked out. Mike's eyes widened, "Dude! Mentor! You can't just tell me things about a mad scientist and drugs, and my wife and daughter and not piece them together for me! What the hell, dude? Mentor! Mentor Ji! Get back here!"

On the bed, Emily cracked one eye open and saw Mike chase after Ji. She chuckled. She had overheard Ji telling Mike that she and Carrie were fine and healthy and knew she had nothing to worry about, which made Mike's confusion all the more funny.

"Mom? Why are you laughing?"

Emily looked down at her daughter and smiled, "You're awake."

"Yeah. What happened?"

"We're never going to another Haunted House again, that's what happened."

"C'mon, mom, admit it," Carrie snickered, "The part before the creepy basement was awesome."

"Awesome? I was terrified!"

"You were brave."

"I screamed like a little girl."

"You did."

"I almost wet myself."

"That would have been funny. Thanks for taking us, Mom. It was fun."

"Fun?"

"You're the best."

Emily couldn't help but smile when she heard that, and she hugged her daughter a little tighter, "I'm glad you had a good time."


	33. Forever Goodbye

With a heavy heart, Antonio walked up to the breakfast table. It had been a few days since he had gotten started on a machine that would send Carrie and the older Terran back home to their time and world. He had worked long hours with Jayden and he knew it was crucial he get this task done. At the same time, it broke his heart. Terran and Carrie were here for their parents. In their world, Serena, Mike, Emily, and all the other Samurai were dead, leaving the kids to be raised solely by James. It would be hard telling them it was time to leave their parents behind for good – that they would never get a chance to see them again.

It would also be hard for this world. Though no one would miss Terran much because he was still here with them – just younger – Carrie would cease to exist. Mike and Emily had miscarried, and there was no way of ever getting her back or giving her the happy ending she so desperately craved and deserved.

Needless to say, it wasn't going to be an easy goodbye.

Antonio didn't need to say much.

"It's time," his look said the rest. The Samurai looked around at each other and then sighed sadly.

Older Terran looked to his younger self, and then to Serena, "Take care of him."

"Of course," Serena nodded and pulled her son into her arms. She gave him a tight hug and showered his cheek with kisses. Terran had been too young to remember this, but he had seen her do it to his younger self, and when she did it to him now, it felt comforting. It felt right. He was going to miss it. He was going to miss her. She was better than he had ever imagined. She was everything his father said she was and more. She was strong willed and quick tempered, but very loving, very caring, and an amazing mother. Terran hadn't been with her for long, but now he would leave this world knowing what having a mother felt like, and knowing that somewhere in the complicated universe, he did have a mother who cared for him. He was lucky enough to know that there would be a happy ending for him somewhere. Serena had promised she would be there for little Terran for his whole life, and that she would never stop thinking about the Terran from another world. She made him promise something too. She made him promise to never think for a minute that he didn't have a mother. She told him she didn't care if he belonged to a different world. She was his mother. She loved him. She would always love him.

Terran smiled and pulled away from his mother. He gave his little self a mini fist bump and the lifted him from his high chair. He held him in his arms and did his best to look the little boy in the eyes, "You're the lucky one, okay, mini-me? Don't you ever take this family for granted. And behave. Give mom a hard time, and I'll find a way to come back and kick your ass."

"Don't threaten my baby," Serena plucked the little Terran from his arms and frowned, "I'll kick your ass, your little punk."

Terran chuckled and hugged his mother again, "I love you."

While Serena and Terran said their goodbyes, and the others were waiting in the common room to give the family some privacy, Mike and Emily were looking to Carrie sadly. The moment Antonio walked in and announced it was time to go home, a river of tears started to pour down her face. With shaky arms, Emily pulled her daughter in for a tight hug.

"I'm sorry, Care- Bear."

"W-Why can't I just stay…" Carrie looked to both her parents sadly. "Terran can tell Uncle James I'm with you and… and everything will be right again. I… I have no parents and you… you two have no daughter and… it's not fair."

"We're going to miss you," Mike gulped and tried not to cry in front of his daughter, though it was hard. She was his flesh and blood and she was hurting. He wanted to give her everything she asked for. He wanted to make her life easier and fair, but he knew it wasn't right. Parenting was tough. "You've made it eighteen years…"

"Sucky years!" Carrie cried and shook her head. She buried her face in her mother's chest. "I love Terran and Uncle James but… but… I want to stay here."

"I know, Carrie, but… you can't. You don't… I'm going to miss you, kid."

Emily rocked her daughter back and forth. She was also trying to hold back her tears, but it wasn't easy, "Care… sweetie…"

"Please, let me stay. Mommy…"

"Terran and James are going to take awesome care of you," Emily felt the lump in her throat pushing harder and harder to get out. She was about to start crying. There was no holding it back anymore. She gave Carrie a kiss on the head and then walked away from her. She couldn't do it and she hated herself.

Mike took his daughter in his arms and held her close, "This is just as hard for us. I want to be your father so desperately, Care, but keeping you here… that's not fair to you. You're… you're eighteen. Your mother's eighteen. I'm twenty. We can't… we can't be your parents."

"But… but…"

"We love you so much," Mike smiled at her and he hoped she couldn't see how weak, scared, and upset he felt, "You do have parents who love you, who care for you, and who want the very best for you."

"Daddy… please…"

"I'm so proud of you."

"No… No, dad, I… please, I want to stay. I… I can fit in, I promise, I'll…"

"Care, c'mon," Terran called her over. Carrie shook her head, jumped up from her seat and ran from the room. They weren't going to send her away.

She turned a couple of corners, but ran into Emily before she could lock herself away in a room. Just as she was about to throw herself into her mother's arms in hopes Emily would take her side and convince the others to let her stay, Emily held up a hand. She pulled the other hand out from behind her back, showing Carrie her baby blanket. She had the same one back in her world, but it was old, dirty, and torn.

"Take it home," Emily put the blanket in her daughter's hands. Carrie held it tight, but felt something solid wrapped inside it. She unravelled the blanket and found Emily's flute. Emily gave her a smile, "It's my flute. Dad taught Serena to play, Serena taught me, and I wish I had the time to teach you. But you're a smart kid. You'll figure out how to play it, I know you will."

"Mom… please. Just… let me stay until… until I've learned. At least, please…"

Emily shook her head and took a deep breath, "The flute got me through some really hard times. Music was the only thing that could cheer me up. When you feel scared, or lonely, or like nothing's going right, maybe the music's going to cheer you up too. Just think of me. And… I didn't want you to have this, but your dad insisted."

"The flute?"

Emily shook her head and gestured for Carrie to follow her. They stepped outside and Emily picked up Mike's skateboard, "Do you know what this is?"

"No."

"If you ever wake up one day and think your butt needs a few more bruises, you just stand on it," Emily joked and then shook her head, "It's a skateboard. Your father loves it. Not as much as video games, but if you're living in a cave, his game station isn't going to be of much use. You've got your dad's temper, I hear."

Carrie nodded her head, "I can get pretty bad."

"Your father needs to take a step back, sometimes. Get a little air and escape for a while. When he clears his mind, his temper's a little more manageable. So… if you ever need to calm down, just get on the skateboard and ride. Wear a helmet, though. Actually, morph. I wasn't kidding about the bruises. Full Ranger suit, promise?"

"Promise," Carrie nodded.

Emily gave her daughter a weak smile and then pulled her into her arms, "I love you. I'm so, so sorry I can't keep you."

"It's Serrator's fault, mom. I don't blame you."

"Care," Terran stepped outside and knocked nervously on the door. He hated to break up the goodbye, but if he didn't leave soon, he would never leave. Saying goodbye was hard. He needed to go. Carrie needed to go.

Emily took the blanket from Carrie's hands and wrapped it around her shoulders. Carrie looked to her mother and knew there was no way she could ask Emily to be there to watch her leave. She gave her mother a kiss on the cheek, "Bye, mom. I love her."

She turned her back to her mother and pretended not to hear the sob that escaped her lips. Carrie took Terran's hand and walked with him to the common room. She said goodbye to the rest of the team, ending with her father. She gave him another hug, thanked him for the skateboard and promised she would work hard to learn to ride it properly.

"You have thirty seconds to jump once the portal opens," Antonio explained as he set a little box on the table and then looked to Jayden, "Don't wait it out. You need to go home."

"We know," Terran nodded and he gave his mother a final smile. Then he shifted his look over to James, "You're going to be a great dad."

"See you on the other side, kid," James smiled. Terran gestured him over and hugged him while whispering in his ear, "Not marrying my mom is the biggest regret you have. Don't put it off. You never know what's going to happen."

"I'll remember that," James promised. He gave his son a pat on the back, "Take care."

"Alright, thirty seconds starts now," Antonio announced and combined his Symbol with Jayden's and the power of the little box on the table to open up a portal. Terran gave Carrie a look and then jumped through first. Carrie watched him disappear and knew it was her turn.

She hesitated and looked down at the gifts in her hands: the flute, the skateboard, and the blanket.

"Carrie, please," Mike begged her, "You have to."

Carrie nodded and set the blanket on the floor before she jumped through, disappearing forever. Mike quickly reached for the blanket and tried to toss it through to her before the portal closed, but he wasn't fast enough.

"Dammit!" he shouted and launched the blanket across the room before he fell to his knees and screamed. His heart shattered. He lost her again. Kevin, Antonio, Jayden, Mia, and Ji dropped down next to him.

Serena picked up the blanket and walked outside. She found Emily in a similar state to Mike. She said nothing to her sister as she covered her with Carrie's blanket and then lifted her up. She walked Emily back inside the house and set her down beside Mike.

"Guys," she called for the others and pointed to the kitchen. They would be able to keep an eye on their youngest Samurai and at the same time the kitchen was far enough away to give them privacy.


	34. She Is Coming

Kate knocked silently on Ji's bedroom door. Normally she was allowed to just walk in. Though she didn't live at the Shiba House, she spent all her time there. In fact, she had more of her things in the Shiba House than in her real home, which was James' old house. She shared a room with Ji, and didn't need to knock when she wanted to come in, but Ji had been hard at work lately and she didn't want to disturb him. He looked up from his desk and saw her. He waved her in, telling her she wouldn't be a bother. Kate started to collect her clothes from around the room, readying them for the laundry which needed to be done.

"Would you like me to throw some of your things in too?" she asked. Ji looked up from his notes.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm doing the laundry. Do you want me to wash your clothes too? You've been wearing that kimono for three days straight."

"Oh," Ji looked down and it dawned on him that personal hygiene had been somewhat neglected. He pointed to his laundry basket in the corner, "If you don't mind."

Kate nodded and started to grab his clothes. She saw he was hard at work and couldn't help but feel curious. As she walked by, she peeked over his shoulder, "You still trying to make arrangements for the mad scientist?"

"He has been taken care of," Ji shook his head and covered his books and papers with his hand. "He has forgotten all about the Rangers and Halloween night, and my friend is keeping an eye on him so we don't get a repeat."

"So, this is…"

"Nothing," Ji shook his head. "Nothing that concerns you yet."

"Yet? So…"

"Serrator's defeat, while it is a breath of fresh air, is also troublesome. Dekker, Dayu, Octoroo, Xandred, or even some other rogue Nighlok will have less standing in their way, should they choose to cause destruction here on Earth."

"Isn't Xandred still soaking?" Kate asked. "I mean, as long as he's at the bottom of the river…"

"He has been down there for months. He will come back, and I feel it is soon."

"So, are you making a new weapon?"

"No. This is… different. And delicate, so I would like a little privacy. When it is time, you will be informed."

Kate nodded her head, "Alright. Well, if there's anything I can do…"

"Tell Serena I need her in here."

"Sure."

-Samurai-

Serena stared at her sister's frown and couldn't take it anymore. It had already been a few days since Carrie and Terran had gone home, and while the house seemed to be getting back into a normal routine, Mike and Emily were having a hard time moving on. It was understandable. They now had a relationship with a daughter they would never see or hear from again. Serena missed her niece, and even Terran, whom she still saw every day. But enough was enough.

With her fingers, Serena forced Emily to smile, "Better."

"Serena…" Emily moved her head away, "Stop it."

"You know she's safe, Emily. James is a good dad. He'll take good care of her. And she knows you love her."

"I miss her."

"I do too," Serena nodded.

"Terran's still here," Emily pointed to the corner of the common room, where Terran was flipping through the pages of a book, babbling as he read to himself.

"Carrie was my niece. I love her like you love Terran. You would miss him too, right?"

"Obviously."

"So smile," Serena made her sister smile again, "There. Now to work on Mike."

"I'll talk to him, I guess," Emily sighed. "You really think she's safe?"

"Em, I trust James with my kid," Serena chuckled and nodded her head, "He's taking good care of her, I promise. If anyone's going to step up, you're lucky it's him. Now, what'll cheer you up for good?"

"You know what cheers me up," there was a little glimmer in Emily's eyes. Serena rolled hers and groaned.

"How can you eat that much junk and not get fat?"

"Because of all that running around I do to keep you guys on your toes," Emily said teasingly, "It's not easy being the hyper one of the group. Sometimes, all you want to do is sit on the couch and nap, and I have to work twice as hard just to annoy you into getting exercise."

"Yahuh. So chocolate chip cookies or leftover pie?"

"Leftover pie is never as good as freshly baked."

"Em…"

"I miss my daughter…"

Serena groaned, "You're more trouble than your worth. You're getting leftovers."

"With ice-cream!"

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes!"

Serena saw Kate coming down the hall and turned to Emily, sticking her tongue out, "Kate, Emily wants pie and ice-cream."

"It's a miracle she's not fat."

"Hey!" Emily crossed her arms over her chest, "I'm hurting here, and calling me should-be-fat isn't making me feel better."

"Neither will drowning your sorrows in junk food," Serena smirked.

"You offered."

Kate rolled her eyes at the girls and then turned to Serena, "Ji wants to see you in his room. I think it's important."

"Get your own pie, Em," Serena called. Emily stuck her tongue out behind Serena's back as the older girl walked away and then got up to help herself to pie. She saw half of it was still left and took the entire dish from the fridge.

"Pie will cheer Mike up too. And whipped cream," she grabbed the can from the door of the fridge and bolted from the kitchen, nearly bumping into Antonio on the way out, "Sorry."

"Where are you going with that?"

"Mike's still feeling sad," Emily said and held up the can of whipped cream, "This always cheers him up."

"Uh… okay, just don't use it all."

"We make no promises!" Emily cried and raced to her bedroom. Antonio shook his head.

"I'm not even going to try to figure them out."

-Samurai-

Serena could tell Ji was hard at work, and though he had asked her to meet with him in his room, she still felt the need to knock. He looked up from his desk, saw her standing at the door in invited her in. In his hand, he was holding a scroll.

"I have a favour to ask of you."

"Shoot," Serena nodded. Ji handed her the scroll and gave her a nod, signalling she open it. Serena did so and gasped. "Ji, no. You promised."

"You will pretend you know very little of this when you say goodbye," Ji told her, "When you return, anything that does slip out can be excused by your escorting her here. You will have plenty of time to speak with her."

"I can't leave now, I… I…" Serena looked down at the scroll, "Why can't someone just bring her here? Why does this have to happen now? I mean, it's about damn time but…"

"Serrator wasn't just a threat to us. He was a threat to all the Nighlok as well. His plan to crack open the Earth could have destroyed us, and the Netherworld. Now that he's out of the way, I fear more Nighlok will step up to take his place. She needs to come and get settled with the team before we need her."

"So ease her in?"

Ji nodded his head, "Serena, this is a huge favour to ask, I know, but…"

"If it's time. I guess it's time," Serena sighed. "I'll get her as long as you promise no one will know that I knew. If they find out, if Emily finds out…"

"No one will know. It is for that reason I am sending you. Should you let it slip that you know more, you will have the excuse that you spoke with her before she arrived."

Serena nodded, "If you say so. Now, where is this place, exactly?"

"She will be waiting for you at the Tengen Gate," Ji put a plane ticket in Serena's hand. "You leave in the morning."

"Enough time to say goodbye," Serena massaged her forehead with a groan, "They aren't going to like this."


	35. Secret Problems

Serena had said her goodbyes to the Samurai the night before. Her flight to Japan left early enough in the morning and she didn't think it fair to wake them. Her bags were already packed, though she didn't plan on being gone for long she still needed to bring a few things with her overseas. After getting ready and looking presentable, she snuck across the room and over to her bed. James was still fast asleep. He didn't have to wake up early for training like the Rangers, so Serena felt better about waking him up, and he had made her promise to do so, wanting to say goodbye to her before she left. Though this mission was supposed to be in secret, and even the Rangers had no idea where Serena was going or why, things had a habit of getting messy.

Serena sat next to James on the bed and woke him with a kiss, "I'm leaving now."

James rubbed his eyes and sat up in bed. He looked to Serena and took her hands softly. He could feel she was shaking. Serena and Emily were a lot alike, James had noticed, but they were alike in different ways. The only thing about them that was completely the same was their fear of flying. Being of the Earth, they had a strong belief that they belonged on the ground, not in the skies.

"You're going to be fine," he promised her and kissed her forehead. Serena nodded softly.

"I know. I just… I get nervous. The airplane weighs a ton and…"

"I'll be expecting a call from you when you land," James stated confidently.

"The moment my feet touch the ground, you'll be hearing from me," Serena nodded her head and smiled. "Take care of them, okay? Try to keep things… good. When I come back, nothing's ever going to be the same."

"I just feel badly for Jayden," James sighed. "What's going to happen to him once she comes?"

"Who knows," Serena shrugged her shoulders, "But this is his lie. His and Ji's. This is a mess they've created. My thoughts are with the Rangers. You take care of them. Make sure they stick together. They need each other."

"They'll be fine. They're strong."

"I know," Serena looked down at her hands, "I'm just worried."

"You'll be right there with them. Ji and Jayden promised you wouldn't be hurt by their lies. Just… play the part right and no one will be the wiser."

"Lie to my sister," it was all hitting Serena. Though she supported Jayden and his secret for so long, covering for him when he needed it, she had always hated him for this lie. Even he knew it was big, and it was bad. It was a lie that affected all the Samurai – a lie that meant their leader, whom they had trusted with their lives, didn't trust them. Serena hated it. She hated the lie. She hated the lying, the secret, the deception, and yet all along she had begged and pleaded with Ji and Jayden to keep her own secret in the dark. She had known about this for a long time now. Jayden had told her back when she was living at the Tengen Gate. Looking back, that felt like ages ago.

"It's a white lie, Serena. It's not like you wanted to…"

"She's my sister, James. I share everything with her."

"What difference will it make whether you knew or not? You're not the one putting her life in danger? You're not the one who asked her to trust you and then…"

"She does trust me, James."

"Serena, she's eighteen."

"She wasn't when I asked her to take my place."

"That's different."

"She was just a kid!"

"Serena, that's something else."

"But it's all… it's all the same… She took my place… she trusts Jayden because of me… she almost died because of me."

"Serena, look at me," James grabbed her arms and gave her a stern look, "Everything's going to be fine. Emily's not going to know. No one will. Ji and Jayden have a plan. After this long, they better have a plan. Everything's…"

"I don't want to lie to her," Serena shook her head. She got up from the bed and grabbed her bags. "When I get back, I want her to know."

"Serena, think about this. You have nothing to feel bad about. It's obvious to everyone her safety's been your first priority. That's why you're the white Ranger! You've been hers, and everyone's guardian. You've done all you could to keep them safe _and_ happy. The fact that you knew this doesn't mean anything. Jayden put you in a tough spot. This is _his _bad."

"I'm telling her."

"Think about it, Serena. While you're gone, think about whether this is the right thing or not," James got out of bed and gave Serena a kiss, "Have a safe flight. I love you."

"I love you too," Serena smiled. She put her bag on her shoulder and walked out of the house, detouring by Mike and Emily's room to whisper goodbye. She wasn't going to wake them. It wasn't smart.

When she got outside, she pulled out the keys to the van from her bag. Ji had offered she take it, insisting it would get her to the airport faster than public transportation. Serena looked to the keys, and then glanced over at Ji's motorcycle.

"Tempting," she whispered and dropped the keys to the van on the porch. She approached his motorcycle and removed the cover. It glistened, even in the dark. Ji took great care of it, except for when it came to the keys, which he had forgotten in the ignition – not that he ever had to worry about people stealing it. The Shiba House was well guarded. "Very, very tempting."

She grabbed the helmet and put it on her head, "Serves you right, you secret keeping bastard."

She started up the motorcycle and drove away from the house with a big smile on her face. Ji would freak when he realized what she had done. Revenge was sweet.

-Samurai-

Jayden didn't take part in training that morning. Though the rest of the house didn't know exactly why Serena had left, he did. Knowing it was almost time to everything he had done to come undone, he felt himself reverting back to who he had once been. He had always loved and cared for his team, even before he met them. He had hesitated calling them into battle, worried they would be hurt or dead because of him. In spite of that love, he had started off cold and distant. He had to be. He couldn't afford them getting hurt.

He couldn't afford getting hurt.

"MIKE!" he snapped when he saw the green Ranger wasn't focusing on training like he should. "If you mess around like that in battle you're going to get yourself, and maybe even someone else killed! Pay attention!"

"Dude, I'm just not feeling it today, alright," Mike shook his head and went to the bench for his water bottle. "I've got a lot on my mind."

"Go easy on him, Jayden," Emily looked to the red Ranger sadly. She was starting to feel better about missing Carrie. She knew she had support from the whole team, Mike and Serena especially. They were doing all they could to cheer her up. Mike had the same support, and Emily was trying her best to raise his spirits, but it wasn't working for him like it did for her. Instead of moving on, he found himself missing Carrie more and more. It didn't matter that she was safe. He wanted her home.

"Go easy?" Jayden stepped on the mat and walked right up to Emily, "Do you think the Nighlok are going to go easy on him next time they pop up? If he can't get it together here, he's doomed on the battlefield. The Nighlok are going to gut him. They won't care you just lost your precious baby. If anything, they'll use that against you. You know what that trickster did to Mia."

"Jayden, what if we spar one on one?" Antonio offered and flicked his thumb towards the house, "Dojo. Now."

"I have to…"

"They're doing fine and you know it," Antonio snapped. "Let's go."

Jayden grumbled as he followed Antonio into the house. Emily turned around to look at Mike, seeing he was tearing up.

"Jayden's just being a jerk. Don't listen to him."

"Mind if I skip the rest of the morning?" Mike was already putting away his training sword. "I've got a lot on my mind and Jayden's right. I might hurt someone."

"Mike…"

"It's fine, Em. Really. I just need time to think."

"How about we all call it a day," Kevin suggested as he started collecting the weapons. "Em, why don't you and Mia go track Serena's flight? See where she is now."

"Over the ocean," Emily said.

"Yeah, but exactly…"

"Pacific."

"Just go," Kevin chuckled and shook his head.


	36. Not Tonight

_Author's Note: This chapter isn't a huge spoiler (barely anything at all), but the episode don't air in the US and Canada until tomorrow, so for the readers who don't already know and don't want to know Jayden's secret, I suggest you wait until tomorrow to read this chapter._

Mike spent the whole day in bed, staring at the picture of Emily and Carrie that he took on his Samuraizer while they were sleeping. No words could describe how much he missed his daughter.

She was his daughter. He saw little pieces of himself in her. She was a better him. A stronger him. She shared his qualities and his flaws (mostly his flaws), but with the traits she inherited from Emily, she was a lot more balanced out. She had a temper, a strong, fiery temper, but she also had Emily's heart. She was stubborn a just as allergic to working hard as Mike was, but she had Emily's courage to press on, and her passion for helping and doing her best for those who were relying on her.

She was amazing. Mike was amazed by her. It was strange, having a daughter only a couple years younger than he was, but he had felt it. When he had been around her, or whenever he thought of her, he felt like a dad. Now, his amazing baby girl was gone forever. He would never see or hear from her again. He knew she would be okay. He knew she would stay strong. But he wanted to be there for her. He wanted to protect her. His heart ached. He and Emily would have another child, but Carrie was his first born. His first baby. His precious little girl. He had only known her for a few days, but she had marked her place in his heart and in his life forever. She couldn't be replaced, and as hard as he tried, she couldn't be forgotten.

He was so focused on the picture he didn't notice Emily coming in. She had a box of pizza in her arms and the smell reached Mike's nose, but he didn't crack a smile. All the pizza managed to do was remind him of the look on Carrie's face the first time she had eaten pizza. She had loved it. More than Mike loved pizza. He remembered how her eyes lit up. He remembered her beautiful smile, and how happy it made him to see her happy.

"Your favourite," Emily whispered as she set the box on pizza down on the bed, next to Mike, and opened the top, "With pickles. Mike…"

"I'm not hungry."

"You haven't eaten all day," Emily groaned. She lifted the box and held it under his noise, "Mmm, Mike, can you smell the warm cheese? The pepperoni? The…"

"I'm not hungry."

"What if I help you work up an appetite?" Emily suggested as she lied down beside him. She rested her head on his chest and looked up at him, "Carrie's fine, Mike. She's…"

"Gone."

"You said it yourself. We can't be her parents. James took care of her until now. She belongs with him and Terran. I miss her too, but…"

"I just want to be alone," Mike rolled over, turning his back to Emily. She sat up and sighed.

"Mike…"

"Please, Em. Just for tonight."

"Tonight? What about tomorrow night? Mike, please just talk to me. I feel it too. I can help, I…"

"Can we talk later?"

"Tomorrow? Promise we'll talk tomorrow?"

"Fine, whatever."

Emily sighed sadly. She gave Mike a kiss on the cheek, "Goodnight, I guess. I love you."

Mike didn't say anything. Emily gave him a sad look before walking out. She left the pizza with him and hoped during the night he would get hungry and eat it.

She dragged her feet down to the common room. The others were also getting ready for bed in their rooms, so she was alone with Storm. Normally she would go to Serena and talk to her sister about what was going on, but Serena was making her way to the Tengen Gate. It was just James and Terran in the bedroom, and though Emily felt close to James, he wasn't her go-to person when she was upset. Instead, she sat down on the couch and the little dog climbed into her lap. Gently, she stroked Storm's fur.

"I guess I'm sleeping with you tonight."

-Samurai-

Serena, as promised, had called James the moment her plane had landed, earning herself an "I told you so" from her fiancé. She let it slide, in this case, because him being right meant she had survived the flight. After that, she set off by foot from the airport to the Tengen Gate. It took her almost a full day of walking (fortunately she had some snacks stashed in her bag), but she had made it.

"Next time, Ji, arrange for pick-up and drop off," she groaned. She could see the Gate in the distance, and knew it was just a few more minutes until she could crawl into a nice, warm bed. Having been the last Guardian to look after the Gate before passing the duties down to the men who had dedicated their entire lives to protecting all the Samurai secrets, she was always very welcomed. Surely she could expect a warm bed and meal.

But as she approached the Gate, a large flame blew up. From where Serena was standing, she had to take a step back and shield her eyes. The flame had been scorching hot, it had been bright, and if there had been anyone standing in its path, they were sure to be roasted.

"Yep, it's her alright," Serena muttered. She finally reached the Tengen Yard and saw a woman training outside the Temple. She was training alone (that, or her partner had been roasted by her recent attack), but though she was alone, it was obvious she was a fierce warrior, and could take down dozens of opponents without breaking a sweat. Serena tried to approach her carefully, but still found herself flat on her back. As her vision cleared and the world stopped spinning, Serena looked up and saw a Spin Sword was held over her chest.

"You are?"

"Serena. Ji sent me to come get you. You're Lauren, right?"

The woman nodded her head and the Spin Sword disappeared. She held out a hand, helping Serena up, "You're Earth."

"Yeah. How did you know?"

"I know a few things," Lauren shrugged. "So I guess it's time."

"Ji says it's important the transition is made before Xandred and the Nighlok decide to go in for the kill."

"Then I guess it's best if we start traveling soon," Lauren said and Serena groaned. The flight had been long, she had to get up at an ungodly hour to get on her flight, and she had just walked all the way from the airport to the Tengen Gate. She didn't need to walk all the way back. Lauren could see it in her eyes just how tired Serena was and smiled. She put a hand on Serena's shoulder, "One more night's rest couldn't hurt. After all, if things really were urgent, Ji would have at least gotten you a cab."

Serena smirked, "You and I might get along."


	37. The Older Samurai Sisters

After resting up and getting the warm, delicious meal she had been expecting, Serena was feeling better after her long flight and her long walk to the Tengen Gate. She wasn't quite ready to head back, and opted to stay for another day. Ji had sent her to escort Lauren to the Shiba House to protect the true red Ranger. Serena couldn't do that if she was still tired and a little jet-lagged. Lauren seemed rather cool about it, though, understanding that it would likely be another day or so before Serena was strong enough to take her home.

Serena came into the living room from the kitchen and smiled when she saw Lauren working on the Sealing Symbol. Though Lauren's identity back home was going to cause a huge rift between the teammates, here she was a saving grace – a breath of fresh air. Seeing Lauren not only knew the Symbol, but had mastered it, gave Serena the extra confidence that the war against the Nighlok wasn't all for nothing. Finally, someone had the power to learn the Sealing Symbol. Finally, the war would be over. Next time Xandred showed his face would be the last. Serena couldn't hide the grin on her face as she took a seat. Neither could Lauren. The red Ranger smiled at Serena, blushing slightly, and seemed to be somewhat distracted from her work.

"Symbol's looking good," Serena encouraged her. Lauren nodded her head.

"My life's work. It better look good. It better be right," setting her paint brush down, Lauren tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and seemed to look for something to say.

Serena gave her a warm smile. She hadn't gotten much of a chance to talk to Lauren, but from what she could tell, she already had quite a bit in common. They were the same age, with Serena only a few months older, and they had both been somewhat forced to pass down their responsibilities as a Ranger to their younger siblings. While Lauren and Jayden had been separated from each other for most of their lives, they still knew of the other's existence, and had, in their childhood, met on a few occasions. Serena, on the other hand, couldn't remember a time where Emily hadn't been in her life, except for when she had left home to be a Samurai.

"So, I guess you're excited to head back to the Shiba House," Serena said. Lauren nodded her head.

"It's been ages since I've seen my brother. I miss him. Mom and dad are both gone. He's the only family I have."

"What about your mentor? Jayden had Ji, so wouldn't you…?"

Lauren shook her head, "Since I was a little girl, I've traveled around the world, studying under different tutors. The experience gave me a deeper understanding of my Symbol Power, my connection to the fire, and I've learn many different styles of fighting. I've never really had a… permanent mentor."

"Really?"

"Well… some I saw more often than others. There was one… how is Jayden? How is he holding up? What he's been asked to do, it's not easy."

"He's… coping," Serena looked down at her hands. She didn't really know what to say about Jayden. This secret had been hard for him. She hated him for lying, but she knew he hated himself more. "Once you're home, I think he'll feel a little relieved. But the others, they…"

"Don't know I'm coming," Lauren nodded her head. "I know. It's going to be hard."

"For what it's worth, we're at the point where any hope of defeating Xandred is a good thing. The others might be a little hurt but… we'll talk them round. There's nothing we haven't overcome yet."

"So I have a strong team behind me?"

"The best."

"That's good."

"But, hey, you're pretty good too. All the training's paid off. Xandred's not going to know what hit him."

Lauren blushed and looked down at the floor, "Thanks."

Serena got up from the couch, "I'm going to go for another nap. I'll bet your eager to head home. If you find a way to get to the airport without walking the entire way, we might be able to catch the next flight home."

"The yellow Ranger comes from a family of farmers, right? Cows, chickens, horses. You ride?"

Serena huffed playfully and rolled her eyes, "I was riding horses before I could hold a sword."

"I'll have two ready for us when you wake up," Lauren smirked. Serena seemed to like the idea and gave Lauren another smile before heading back to her room for a nap. Lauren watched her leave and then shook her head clear of the thoughts rising up. Now was a time for duty, not a time to be distracted. She looked back at her easel and tried to focus on the Sealing Symbol.

"Dammit, Ji," she muttered and set her paintbrush down. Focusing on Symbols would be too tough, and instead she would train in the yard, "Why couldn't you have set one of the guys?"

-Samurai-

Kevin walked by the common room after an early morning training session with Mia. Jayden still had an attitude about him, so the Samurai were steering clear of him until whatever was bothering him was dealt with. He was spending most of his time in his room or in the dojo, usually alone, but sometimes he would train with Antonio. Kevin and Mia had avoided him, and trained on their own in the yard. They had just finished up, and Mia promised to make breakfast while Kevin showered first. He came back from his room and saw Mia standing in the hallway with a sad look on her face. She was looking into the common room. Kevin followed her gaze and saw Emily curled up with Storm in the dog bed. Both were still sleeping, and while Storm seemed happy to have Emily all to herself for the night, Emily didn't seem to be having a restful sleep at all.

"Wanna make a bet?" Mia whispered to Kevin. "Twenty bucks says she's worried about Serena. Last time someone went to Japan was Emily and James with Terran. They all almost died, and Scruffy did. I wouldn't blame her."

"Mike. He's been in a bit of a mood since Carrie left," Kevin said and he shook Mia's hand to seal the deal. Then he stayed quiet while Mia slowly approached Emily.

"Emy, wake up," Mia gently shook her awake. Emily yawned and stretched out. Though she was small, the dog bed was still too small for her. She had been curled up all night, sharing a tiny bed with the dog, and Mia was sure it felt good to stretch out. Emily did let out a pleasant groan as she stretched out her legs and arms, but when she sat up she didn't seem too happy.

"What time is it?"

"Seven. I was just about to make breakfast."

"So it's tomorrow?"

"Today. Well, morning, if that…"

"Mike promised he would talk to me," Emily jumped up to her feet and ran to her bedroom. Mia turned around and looked to Kevin with a shrug.

"I think you won."

"I'll settle for breakfast à la Kevin instead of twenty bucks."

Mia groaned loudly, "Seriously? Can't I just fork over the money, pour you a bowl of cereal and be done with it?"

Kevin shook his head, "I feel like fruits, oatmeal, and a glass of orange juice."

Mia groaned and walked to the kitchen, "Should have bet on Mike…"

As she went to the fridge, Kevin took a seat at the table. He normally wasn't one to enjoy being waited on, but from time to time it was a good feeling. While Mia did her best to prepare his breakfast just the way he liked it, he kept his eye on what she was doing. He trusted she would do it right, but he couldn't help himself from picking at the little details just to annoy her.

Suddenly, the two heard a shriek of anger, slamming doors, and pounding footsteps. Mike stormed into the kitchen, followed by Emily.

"You promised!" she shouted at him. Mike simply rolled his eyes and snatched the milk from the fridge.

"Yeah, I promised we would talk today. I didn't say first thing. Just give me some space, Em."

"I slept with the dog!" Emily shouted. "You didn't even eat your pizza! You can't do this to yourself. Why won't you talk to me?"

"I don't want to!" Mike drank straight from the carton and then put the milk on the counter. He looked to Emily, "I drank something, are you happy?"

Emily shook her head, "Please talk to me. I know it hurts, Mike. I miss her too. But…"

"I'm going for a run."

"Mike…"

"I want to be alone," Mike growled and then stormed out of the kitchen. Emily let out a frustrated cry and knocked the milk off the counter.

"Hey, calm down!" Mia scolded the yellow Ranger and picked up the carton before they lost too much milk. "Emily, just give him space."

"This isn't like him," Emily shook her head. "Something's wrong and he won't talk about it."

"Give him a little space," Kevin suggested. "We all know Mike's temper. If you keep pushing his buttons, he's going to snap, and we're going to have to rescue you again. Do you really think that's going to help?"

"I slept with the dog! How much more space does he need?"

"Try talking to him again tonight," Mia said and grabbed a rag from the sink, "If he still won't talk, I'll send Kevin in to straighten him out tomorrow. Deal?"

"You'll send Kevin in?"

"And if Kevin can't do it, I'll jump in," Mia promised. Though Kevin did have a firm hand, Mia was much scarier. Mia and Kevin knew it, Emily knew it, and Mike knew it. Mia put the rag in Emily's hand and gestured to the puddle of spilt milk, "It won't clean itself up."

"But I slept with the dog," Emily whined.

"Storm or Mike?" Kevin chuckled. "I shared a room with that husband of yours. I'd share the dog bed over a room with Mike any day."

"Clean up the milk, Emy."


	38. Sister's Coming Home

Lauren saw the sun was beginning to rise and knew it was time to start heading home. While she and Serena had somewhat joked about the lack of urgency to get home, Lauren did understand it was important she get to the Shiba House as soon as possible and as safely as possible. And, if things really went well, she would get there without the Nighlok knowing of her existence. In fact, no one but a handful of people knew of her existence.

Serena had been resting heavily. It was obvious the flight from the United States to Japan had been a long one, and the walk from the airport to the Tengen Gate hadn't helped. Still, Lauren was happy to see Serena, to actually get to know one of the Samurai she had spent her entire life training to fight with. She was excited, to say the least, at the possibility of finally having some real friends. She had spent so many years traveling and training, she hadn't been able to hold onto a single person in her life. Even her brother, her flesh and blood, was a stranger to her.

Lauren knocked on the door to Serena's room and carried in a breakfast tray. Though her training had focused quite a bit on her Samurai lifestyle, she had learned a thing or two about cooking.

"Good morning," Lauren smiled as she turned on the light, waking Serena. She set the breakfast tray down on the bed and sat beside Serena, "I made you breakfast. I hear airplane food's not all that great on common planes."

"Common planes?" Serena chuckled, "You sound like a princess."

"It's just a thank you," Lauren said, "You know, for coming all this way just to pick me up."

"You're the key to sealing Xandred away for good," Serena shrugged her shoulders, "That's a pretty good reason to travel."

"The guardians are outside getting the horses ready. I've got my stuff packed up, and your stuff as well. I hope you don't mind…"

"No, it's fine," Serena licked her lips and reached for the fork, "Bacon and eggs. My favourite."

"Really? I'm glad," Lauren blushed.

"Mom used to make this for me all the time before school," Serena nodded, "Best part of my day."

"Your day must have always gotten off to a good start, then," Lauren said as she got up and started to clean up the room. Serena wasn't a slob, but a few of the things in the room had been moved around when Serena got settled in. Lauren knew that the right thing to do as a guest was to leave the house in the same condition it was in when she arrived. The guardians of the Tengen Gate already had a lot of work to do. They didn't need to clean up after the Samurai as well.

Serena finished off her breakfast and got out of bed, "I'm just going to jump in the shower quickly, and then we can head off," she pulled off her shirt and pants and made her way to the bathroom. "I'll suggest packing a few extra snacks. You weren't wrong about plane food."

Lauren's face was almost as red as her shirt as she lowered her head, grabbed Serena's breakfast tray and rushed out of the room. She bit her lip and leaned against the wall once she was in the hallway. A body like that could only be achieved by years and years of working out, keeping in shape, and keeping healthy. Lauren couldn't deny she liked what she saw.

-Samurai-

Though it was morning in Japan, in Panorama City it was still the middle of the afternoon the day before. The Samurai were somewhere in the house, training, resting, laughing, or beating each other up, Jayden didn't care anymore. He sat in his room by himself, holding his head in his hands as he stared at the piece of paper on his desk.

"Why are you torturing yourself like this, Jay?" Antonio asked as he walked in, carrying some lunch for his boyfriend, "Maybe it won't be as bad as you think…?"

"My sister's coming, Antonio," Jayden shook his head, "She's coming to take her rightful place. The team hating me… is the least of my worries."

Antonio furrowed his brow and set the plate down on the night table by the bed. He walked over to Jayden and put his hands on his shoulders, "What does that mean?"

"They'll hate me, Antonio. For two years I've been asking them to give up their lives for me and…"

"They're your friends…"

"I abused their trust," Jayden slammed his fists on the desk. "They've done everything I've asked of them, Antonio, and more. They welcomed me into their lives, they've taken care of me. They've given me a home, a family…"

"Whoa, you're the one who gave them a home," Antonio gestured to the room, "This is _your _house, mi novio."

"I gave them four walls and a roof," Jayden threw his hands up in the air; "There's my contribution."

"Jay, you've done so much more…"

"You're right. I've given them a handful of lies. I promised them _I _could seal Xandred away. I promised them _I_ was the key. I promised them _I_ would lead them to victory. Now Lauren's coming and… what am I'm going to do now? She's taking her place. She's taking my place. I'm just… useless."

"You're not useless," Antonio pulled over his chair and sat down beside Jayden, "They're going to be upset, Jay. This is a big… deal. But you have to trust that the relationships you've made with them will…"

"My relationship is a lie. I'm nothing to them."

"What about to me?" Antonio took Jayden's hands gently, "I know your secret, Jay. I still love you. I still want to fight by your side. I still want to help you see this thing through. Maybe the Sealing Symbol thing is a lie, but, Emily and Serena are both Rangers. We can make a place for you and your sister. Two red Rangers. We'll be kicking ass…"

"Thanks, but no thanks," Jayden shook his head. He grabbed the sandwich from the plate and went to bed, "I don't know what's going to happen, Antonio, but if you want to keep fighting, if you want to live out your dream as a Samurai, you have my blessing."

-Samurai-

"C'mon, red Ranger," Serena called as she slowed down on the horse and looked over her shoulder, seeing Lauren trailing behind her. "Isn't this Samurai Lesson one?"

"I thought holding a sword was lesson one," Lauren grumbled and kicked her horse in the side. Though it had been created by Lauren's own Symbol Power, she had given it a little too much personality, and the horse was refusing to take orders from her.

"Not when you're raised on a farm," Serena chuckled and checked her watch, "Hurry it up. At this rate, we'll be getting home and Xandred will have already taken over the city."

"That's not a funny joke," Lauren looked up at Serena seriously, but saw the playful glint in Serena's eyes.

"I've guess I've been hit over the head by the Moogers one too many times. C'mon, Lauren, lighten up. The Rangers won't let Xandred take over… that quickly."

"Stupid horse…"

"Be gentle with her," Serena smirked, "I mean, she's carrying your fat ass to the airport."

"Fat ass?"

"Learn to play along. You're doomed at home if you can't take a few hits. Your ass is lovely."

Lauren knew Serena was only teasing her, but she couldn't help herself from blushing. Every time Serena spoke, every time Serena looked her way, Lauren couldn't stop herself from turning bright red. It was a wonder Serena hadn't noticed it yet. Likely because she wasn't interested. There was no way she would be that lucky.

"There we go," Serena said when Lauren's horse finally started to calm down and decided it would do as Lauren asked. "We're about halfway to the airport. Now that you've got this one under control, what do you say we race? Loser pays for snacks."

Lauren nodded her head and was off with her horse, galloping through the woods. They jumped over roots, branches, and swerved around trees. Lauren couldn't see Serena anymore, but knew the Earth Samurai was close. When they finally reached the city, Lauren looked over her shoulder.

"Over here, Red."

Lauren looked straight ahead and groaned, seeing Serena had already dismounted her horse and was rewarding the mare with a gentle neck rub.

"I passed you! How did you…?"

"Short-cut," Serena smirked and her horse disappeared. Lauren dismounted just before her horse faded away as well. Serena gestured down the road. "It's a short walk from here. Only about ten minutes. We'll really need to stick together now. Nighlok have a habit of blending in. You wouldn't believe the things they've been doing lately."

"I've gotten a few updates from Ji and Jayden recently," Lauren nodded. "I heard Dayu was really being a pain in the ass this time around."

Serena sighed, "Dayu's a… bitch isn't enough to describe what she is. She's nasty, though. Don't believe a word she says, and don't let her know what or who you love. She'll use them against you. Just… stay away from her. Focus on Xandred."

"Got it."

"Now, c'mon," Serena took Lauren's hand and pulled her down the path, into the busy streets. Lauren bit her lip and prayed Serena would just think the permanent redness on her face was just a sun burn.


	39. The Fire Siblings

Jayden began to dread these battles like he had when he had first assembled the team. His mind kept racing back to thoughts of what would happen if they got hurt. How would he explain everything to them if they were bleeding, bruised, or broken? Even worst, what would he say if something went terribly wrong and one of his teammates fell in battle and never got back up? What would his secret mean then? It wasn't worth it.

"Moogers?" Mia asked, looking around the park, seeing it filled with several dozen Moogers, at least enough to keep each Ranger busy.

Mike charged into battle. He hadn't been thinking straight since Carrie had gone home, and had been so full of anger he didn't know what to do with himself. He had enough control of his emotions not to lash out violently against his friends and family at home, but Moogers were another matter. Here, he could be as violent and as deadly as he wanted, as long as he didn't put his teammates or civilians in danger when he did.

"Mike!" Emily went after him, seeing he had jumped right into the middle of a good two or three dozen Moogers – more than he could handle at once. It was clear there was something bothering him. It was clear he wasn't thinking ahead, or even of his own safety. Worriedly, Emily joined him, teaming up with her husband to keep him from doing something stupid.

"Keep your eyes peeled," Antonio spoke up to the rest of the team, seeing Jayden's thoughts were clearly preoccupied with his secret, and what this battle could mean for him and his relationships with the team. Jayden seemed convinced that once his sister arrived, everything would be different for the worse. It was up to Antonio to step up and take the lead, "Moogers means we're being distracted. Someone's up to something. Don't let your guard down for a minute."

Kevin and Mia nodded and hurried into battle. Because Mike and Emily had rushed in first, the Moogers were all focused on them. Kevin and Mia joined, pulling a few of the Moogers away from the youngest Rangers, giving them a bit of a break. Antonio looked to Jayden.

"Don't do anything stupid."

"You said it. What if they're planning something? What if?"

"We'll fight this Nighlok like we've fought all the other Nighlok. We're a team, we're…"

"I'm not a part of this team," Jayden shook his head and threw his Spin Sword to the ground. Antonio shoved him, pushing him into the dirt.

"Stop being a baby. Your sister's coming. You've been protecting her for years."

"I've been lying…"

"By taking the role of red Ranger, by fighting her battles, she's putting you in as much danger as you're putting the Rangers in…"

"Exactly! But at least I know what I'm doing. They don't have a clue."

Antonio groaned, "Jay, that came out wrong. You're not… they'll understand. You can't just walk away."

"I won't let them get hurt because of me…"

"What if it's you whose getting hurt?" Jayden turned around, hearing a voice behind him and was suddenly struck across the chest by a sharp blade. He staggered back and fell to his knees before Antonio. The gold Ranger looked down to his boyfriend to make sure he was okay, and then up to the Nighlok.

"I knew they were up to something. So what do you do?"

"Why don't we find out?" the Nighlok smirked and blasted Jayden and Antonio.

-Samurai-

Serena and Lauren were finally on U.S. soil once again. They left the airport with their bags on their backs. Serena hadn't packed much, knowing she would only be in Japan to pick up Lauren. The true red Ranger didn't have much with her either. She just had enough to fit in a tiny backpack, which she carried with her on board the plane.

"I will never understand how a ton of metal can stay up in the air half-way around the world," Serena grumbled. The flight had been a long one, and with the time change moving her ahead and then back a day in such a small amount of time, she could almost literally feel her brain trying to adjust the little clock in her head. Just as she was about to lead the way home, her Samuraizer went off. To her surprise, Lauren's did as well.

"So, all this time, you've known when we've been in battle?" Serena felt a pain in her stomach. The flight had been long and restless, and without much to do but talk, Serena had learned a lot about Lauren. Though the red Rangers had been apart for years, Lauren had a deep love for her little brother. It was a distant relationship, but Lauren seemed to care for Jayden just as much as Serena cared for Emily. Serena remembered being sick. She remembered lying in her bed for days, knowing her sister was fighting a deadly battle in her place. Sometimes, she saw the fights on the news. Sometimes, she woke up to hear there had been an attack in Panorama City. Most of the time, she was blind and just wishing that whatever her sister was doing, she was alive. She couldn't imagine how much harder it would have been if every time Emily rushed into battle, an alarm went off. She couldn't imagine waiting hours just to know if her baby sister had survived.

"Only when I've travelled through California," Lauren answered and Serena felt a bit of relief, but it was still impossible to imagine how hard it must have been for Lauren to hear the call and not come to her little brother's aid. Many times, Serena wanted to rip out all the wiring and the tubes, get out of bed and run to save her baby sister.

Serena nodded sympathetically and then opened her Samuraizer, responding to the alarm, "Ji, we've landed…"

"Come home," was all Ji said. Serena looked to Lauren worriedly.

"But Ji, this is exactly why we brought her here. She can…"

"If the Nighlok know, this secret's been for nothing. Come home, don't let anyone see you. The Rangers will be fine."

Serena nodded her head and gulped as she hung up. Lauren put her hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"It'll be fine. It's better they learn at home than mid-battle anyways. If I show up and morph, who'll be more surprised and thrown off."

"You're right," Serena nodded her head. "Let's go home. We'll get you settled in."

-Samurai-

Jayden felt a fire burning deep inside him. Not the good kind of fire, though. It wasn't like passion or power. It was real. It was like a real fire. Like he was burning from the inside out. Like someone had light a match, dropped it down his throat, into his stomach, and he was going to burn. It was uncomfortable, and he was in a lot of pain, but nothing hurt more than what he witnessed while he was down. His teammates, his friends, jumped in to rescue him from the cruel Nighlok who was torturing him from the inside out. They took hits, they fell, they protected him, and they promised he would be okay.

It hurt. It hurt a lot more than anything the Nighlok could do. Forcing himself to his feet, he fought through the pain (both from the attack and from watching his friends get hurt for him) and he helped them defeat the Nighlok. It took all he had and more, and the last thing he remembered before blacking out was falling face first towards the ground.

When he came too again, he was being carried by Antonio and Kevin back into the Shiba Yard. Mia was just a couple steps ahead of him, looking on in worry, and Mike and Emily he could hear were behind him.

"Jayden!" Mia saw his eyes open and Jayden felt the others stopped moving. They gently set him down and Antonio held him up in his arms. Kevin pulled out a bottle of water and handed it to Jayden.

"This should help with that fever," Kevin didn't need to say more. Still feeling like his insides were on fire, the water was irresistible. With weak and shaky hands, he grabbed the bottle and spilled half of it down his front as he chugged it down.

"Jayden, are you okay?" Antonio asked as he hugged him close, "That Nighlok hit you pretty hard."

"Did you win?" Jayden looked around. The team all nodded their heads.

"Yeah, we won," Mia assured him. "She seemed to be targeting you. She spent all her time trying to weaken you; she forgot the rest of us had power too."

"Are you guys okay?"

"Yeah. A few bumps and bruises, nothing big."

"We'll get you inside, Jay. You should be a lot more comfortable there," Antonio insisted and slowly and gently he and Kevin lifted Jayden back up to his feet and helped him inside.

In the Shiba House, Lauren was looking around in awe. She had a very faint memory of the house, and remembered once running through the halls. It had been a long, very long time since those days, but she had always looked forward to coming back. To coming home.

Ji had welcomed her with a big, warm hug, though there was a look on his face. Lauren understood her arrival was tough. She knew what it meant for Jayden and Ji. Both had spent their lives preparing themselves for a war, and now their duties were over. All of Ji's work training Jayden meant nothing now. She knew he had a right to be somewhat upset by her arrival.

She met Ji's girlfriend, Kate, who happened to also work for the Samurai and she was Serena and Emily's aunt. Lauren wasn't quite sure what to make of the Shiba House having extra people running around, but from what she could tell, things seemed to be running smoothly. Though she was the head, she hadn't been around for nearly two decades.

As she walked the halls, she heard the pitter-patter of footsteps – fast, little footsteps. She stopped in her tracks. The footsteps were getting closer. The Samurai were gone, she knew Ji was in the common room with his girlfriend (whom he was talking down after Lauren's arrival seemed to shock her), how many more people were in the house?

Then, from around the corner came a little baby. Lauren had very little experience with children. None at all, in fact. While this child seemed old enough to be running around the house, he still seemed very, very young. No older than a year – at most.

Terran, who since he could walk and run, had always loved running through the halls of the Shiba House. They were so big and so wide and they made him feel so free. Any chance he got, he loved to run and explore. This time, his exploring led him around the corner, where he found himself face to face with a woman he had never seen before. His memory was still very limited but he knew a stranger when he saw one. The joy and excitement fell from his face as he stared up at Lauren almost in horror. He took a couple steps back to examine her.

Lauren was also examining the young boy curiously. There was no reason for there to be a child in the Shiba House unless he belonged to one of the Rangers – mostly, to the Shiba Clan. The only reason Lauren could come up with for there being a baby in the house was that the baby belonged to Jayden.

"There you are, you little monkey."

Lauren's jaw dropped as James walked in. How many more people were living in the house? She had no idea who this man was, and couldn't think of one good reason for why he was at the Shiba House. The Rangers were out fighting a battle. If he was here, he obviously wasn't a Ranger.

"Lauren, I take it," James lifted Terran in his arms and then held out a hand to Lauren, "I'm James."

"And you are?"

"James," he repeated a little louder, thinking she hadn't heard him. Lauren rolled her eyes.

"I mean, who are you to the Samurai? Ji's got his girlfriend and she's one of our contacts, I get that. So are you?"

"I'm… uh, complicated," James rubbed the back of his neck, "But you are too, so…"

Before James could say more the front door burst open and the Rangers stumbled inside. They were so preoccupied with Jayden, that Lauren's presence went completely unnoticed as they rushed their red Ranger into the common room and laid him down. Jayden was doing his best not to cry out in agonizing pain.

Lauren couldn't see Jayden first, over the crowd of people, nor could she recognize him. She had been gone for a long time, and Jayden had grown quite a bit from the child she had left him as. She wasn't sure he would recognize her right away either.

So Lauren counted heads. There were supposed to be five Samurai, including the red Ranger. Knowing there was someone in the middle of the crowd, she counted his head, and then five other Rangers around him. She looked over her shoulder as Serena rushed into the room.

Seven. That made seven Rangers in total. There was no way. There were only five colours. Jayden was her double red, and Serena was from the Earth clan, so that made yellow, but there were still more heads, more Rangers, than colours.

None of that mattered though when there was a gap between the crowd of people and Lauren got a good look at the injured Ranger's face. Jayden. Her baby brother. Her little brother was badly hurt.

"Jay!" she cried and rushed to his side, pushing the Samurai out of the way. He seemed a little baffled by her presence, but only for a second. Then he recognized her.

"Lauren…" pain, anger, joy, and disappointment flashed across his face before his injuries stung at him again. He grabbed his chest with his hands, clutching tightly as he cried out in pain.

"Water helped him earlier," Antonio said. The others were too curious about Lauren and how she and Jayden knew each other to be of much help. Antonio looked to Ji, signalling for him to get Jayden water. Ji nodded and rushed to the kitchen. He got a glass of water and his trusted first aid kit. Lauren had arrived to take back her place, but he would still treat Jayden like he always had – with the very best of care. Jayden came first, no matter what.

Kate followed Ji into the common room. He saw his look mirrored in her eyes. Though he had explained the secret to her after Lauren's arrival, and she seemed to understand the importance of the secret staying a secret, she, like Ji, only wanted the best for her nieces.

"I can't believe you would do this, Ji," she growled. Ji opened the first aid kit to make sure he had everything he needed. From bandages to medicine, it was all there."

"Serena knew…"

"That's great!" Kate shouted, "She's still in an awkward position! Why the hell would you do something like that to her? She's been lying to her sister! You've been lying to all of them!"

"Can we talk later?"

"Kids! Ji, they're children! You've been deceiving children! They've worked their asses off for Jayden; for you, and this is the thanks you give them? They put their lives in danger! They trusted you! I trusted you."

"Kate, please…"

"I don't know what to do with you, Ji," Kate growled and shook her head. She turned away from Ji and headed back into the common room. Ji watched her go and then heard another cry of pain from Jayden, followed by Lauren calling desperately for Ji to come back with whatever would help her brother feel better. Forgetting about Kate and the other Samurai for now, Ji grabbed the first aid kit, filled a glass with water and rushed into the common room to treat his son.


	40. For All The Lies

The room was filled with silence. Jayden had been tended to and was recovering in his room, with his sister by his side. The rest of the house was sitting in the common room, either stunned or scared.

No one was comfortable.

Serena looked around the room, feeling a knot in her stomach. She had seen this moment coming from miles away. Jayden had told her his secret a long time ago. By now, it felt like years; centuries, even. Serena could barely remember a time in the Shiba House where she didn't know Jayden wasn't the true red Ranger. It ate her up inside. The only saving grace she thought she had was the promise Ji and Jayden had made to her that the others wouldn't find out she knew first. She wanted them to have someone to lean on when their leader and their mentor revealed their deception.

Now, though, that didn't seem like a good idea. Though it hadn't been her secret to tell, she had kept something from her friends and from her sister. She hoped she could be honest with them – maybe easing the blow from her side at least – but they weren't stupid. Mia remembered Serena saying she knew something about Jayden, and it seemed she had shared her worries with Kevin. Neither seemed too happy, but they did have a bit of logic and reason still working. They didn't like it, but they understood the secret had been kept for a good reason.

Antonio already knew. Serena didn't have any concerns for him. He knew, and he had come into the Samurai life not because it was a duty thrust upon him at birth, but because he wanted to fight by Jayden's side. The secret touched him, but not as much as the others.

Mike, Serena wasn't sure what was happening with him. She wasn't even sure it had dawned on him that Lauren was Jayden's sister, or that she was even present. He was still fuming over losing his daughter for a second time. It would be an issue for Serena to tackle later.

Serena gazed at Emily and saw her sister turn away from her. She gulped, "Emily…"

"Don't talk to me."

"Em…" Serena couldn't say anymore. Emily got up and walked out of the room. James looked to Serena sadly and then pulled her into the hug. He understood how the Rangers felt. He also knew how hard this had been for Serena. Though Jayden's lie was deceptive, and put the Rangers at risk, Serena had always put their safety first. Time and time again, she had threatened Jayden just to keep the Rangers safe and happy. She had done all she could. It wasn't enough.

"I think it is obvious how important it was the Nighlok did not find out about the true head of the Shiba Clan," Ji spoke up. The Rangers deserved an explanation. Though they didn't seem to want to listen to a word he said, it was time they knew the truth.

"Clear as day, Ji," Kevin nodded his head and looked his mentor right in the eyes, "What hurts is that we weren't allowed to know. We've given up everything for this Ranger life. We've dropped our families, our friends, our lives. I missed out on the Olympics! The Olympics! I've spent my entire life training to be the best Samurai I could be; to be loyal, faithful, dutiful, respectful, and responsible for my Samurai Leader and my team. We all did. We put our trust in you. We gave you and Jayden our lives! You took us… you used us. Jayden's Lauren's bodyguard, fine. But we were Jayden's? We were protecting a fake? Don't you think we had a right to know?"

"Kevin, I understand…"

"Bullshit, Ji. You should have told us. Were you afraid your precious son would have gotten hurt? That we would have let something happen to him because he wasn't the real red? You put our lives in danger so Jayden could live? You're disgusting!"

"Kevin," Mia tugged on his arm and gestured for him to leave the room. "Why don't we go calm down?"

"Everything," Kevin shouted as Mia pulled him out of the room, "We gave up everything, and you have the nerve to treat us as nothing more than shields!"

There was a moment of a guilty look on Ji's face, but he held up a strong façade. This secret hadn't been easy for him. He did love Jayden as a son. He never wanted to see anything happen to him. He also didn't want to see anything happen to the Rangers either. They weren't bodyguards, but he understood why they felt that way.

Mia and Kevin left and Mike watched them go. He was silent for a moment and then he turned to Ji with a sharp look.

"My daughter's dead."

"Mike…"

"My daughter's dead because of a Nighlok. A Nighlok attacked my pregnant wife because she's a Samurai. They attacked her. They killed my daughter. I sacrificed my own daughter for this war, and all along you've been hiding this? My daughter, Ji! My daughter's dead!"

"Michael, I understand this hurts…"

"You have no idea how much this hurts! Jayden's alive! He's alive because you tricked us into protecting him. You've lied to our faces just to keep your boy safe. My daughter's dead! This Lauren chick, she better be as good as you think she is. She better get the job done because whether she does or not, because you're never getting a green Ranger again!"

Mike turned his back to Ji and stormed out of the room, but not before punching his fist through the wall. James let go of Serena and went after him. Mike needed to calm down, and there was no one else around who could take care of him.

Kate took a seat beside Serena and wrapped her niece tightly in her arms while she glared at Ji, "Mike's right. This better be the real thing."

"Kate, please," Ji turned to his girlfriend. Now that the Samurai were gone he dropped his strong, confident demeanour and started begging, "You know how much I love the Samurai. I would never put them in danger. But the fate of the world…"

"The Samurai are people, Ji," Kate growled. "They may be soldiers, but they've sacrificed a lot for you and you repay them like this? They had a right to know."

"Kate…"

"They had a right to know!" Kate shouted. She gave Serena a comforting squeeze and then let her go, "Check up on your sister. Talk to her. Don't you dare let Ji ruin your family."

"Kate, she's not going to…"

"She will come around. She knows you well, Serena. Talk to her. Ji and I need to talk privately."

Serena nodded her head. She felt it was futile, but she headed to her sister's room to try and talk her around – convince her that though she had known Jayden's secret she wasn't a traitor.

Kate was about to open her mouth to speak to Ji when she saw Antonio still sitting on his stool. Kate felt badly for the gold Ranger. Though he had known about the betrayal, she knew he was in a similar situation as Serena. Caught in the middle, sworn to secrecy either unwillingly or unaware of exactly how big a mess he had been getting himself into at the time the secret had been shared. It wasn't fair to Antonio, it hadn't been fair to Serena, and it sure as hell hadn't been fair to the Rangers.

"How dare you do this…"

"Kate, I've explained it to you…"

"How dare you do this to your son!" Kate finished, grabbing the mug of tea Ji had prepared to calm the Rangers. She launched it across the room, smashing it into the wall. "Don't get me wrong, I'm pissed about your lie to the Rangers, but Jayden? That poor kid's entire life's been a lie! A cover-up! You raised him to be something he wasn't!"

"He has always known…"

"That his life wasn't worth as much as his sister's! That's what you've been telling him since this whole thing started. He could get hurt. He could die. He could be the target of all the Nighlok, as long as Lauren was safe! You've raised him to believe that compared to his sister, he means nothing! You've betrayed the Rangers and you've put your son in danger!"

"Katherine, please don't say that…"

"It's obvious you don't know anything about the truth or being honest," Kate shook her head. "And I thought you were an amazing man. I loved you, Ji. Turns out, I've loved you for a lie. You're not who I thought you were."

Kate looked to Ji in disgust and then walked out of the room. Ji sighed loudly and held his head in his hands.

He hadn't seen that coming.


	41. Second Born

Jayden had always known the day would come, but he couldn't believe it. As he lay in bed, still suffering slightly from the latest attack, his sister was looking over to him, tending to him gently and with a proud smile on his face. He had recognized her almost right away, despite having not seen her for years. She looked just like their mother. She had the same gentle eyes, the soft, warm smile, and a comforting touch. Just being near his sister was enough to cool the flames burning inside him.

But the medicine did help.

Lauren gave him a smile as she covered up one of his cuts with a bandage and then brushed the hair away from his face. She placed a cool, damp cloth on his forehead, "You're so… Jayden, I…"

"I'll be okay," Jayden assured her. He could see the look in her eyes. He didn't know her, but he knew the look. Serena had worn it many times when she had been looking over Emily. Knowing he too had an older sister, Jayden had sometimes envied Emily and Serena's relationship. Without his parents around, Lauren was the only blood of his left. Jayden had Ji, but there was something to be said about having a real member of his family looking over him. Lauren gave him another smile and Jayden couldn't help but smile back. She looked like their mother, but she had their father's smile. Jayden hadn't see that smile in the longest time.

"The Nighlok were coming after you, weren't they?" Lauren's smile slowly dropped away, leaving a look of worry on her face.

"They think I'm the red Ranger. They think it's me who'll see Xandred away. They have no idea about you."

"Jayden…"

"I'll be fine," Jayden insisted again and tried to sit up, but the pain was too agonizing. He was forced to lie back down by his own body.

"I've never liked this plan."

"We're doing what needs to be done to seal the Nighlok away for good," Jayden reminded her. "Our duty is to protect this world, no matter the cost. I'm just glad it paid off. You know…"

"Don't worry about the Sealing Symbol," Lauren kissed his cheek and then offered him a glass of water, "I hope the Nighlok weren't too rough on you. I never wanted to have to hide behind my baby brother."

"It's been fine…"

Lauren shook her head, "Don't lie to me. I haven't been around, but I'm not an idiot. Two years is a long time…"

"We've had our ups and downs," Jayden sighed. "You have a strong team to back you up. Once you earn their trust, their loyalty, defeating the Nighlok for good will be a walk in the park."

Lauren bit her lip and sighed. She had been tending to Jayden since he had gotten home, but she had been aware of the shouting going on in the other rooms, and she had caught on to a few of the words. The Samurai weren't happy with this revelation at all. Right now, Lauren wasn't hoping they would accept her – she was hoping they wouldn't kick her out.

She looked back to Jayden and smiled. He had done so much for her, and he had given up so much for her. The least she could do was defeat the Nighlok for good. She would work hard if she had to, but she would use the Sealing Symbol. She would destroy all the Nighlok. Whether she had a team behind her or not. Jayden's sacrifice wouldn't be in vain. The Rangers' sacrifice wouldn't be in vain.

"Speaking of the team, why am I counting seven Rangers?"

Jayden shifted uncomfortably, "Antonio is the gold Ranger. He's a friend of mine from a long time back. A self-taught Samurai."

"Self-taught? Gold? Jayden…"

"I didn't like it at first either," Jayden said, "but Antonio's been a great addition to the team. He's done so much, and he's twice as committed as everyone else. You have to give him a chance."

"Who else have we added?" Lauren groaned.

"Not really added," Jayden said. "Serena was sick when I called the Rangers, so Emily came in her place."

"Emily? The little one?"

"She's tougher than she looks," Jayden chuckled. "Emily's our yellow Ranger. Serena recovered and we created the white Morpher out of an old yellow one."

"Emily's yellow? Serena's white? But Serena's older. Yellow should be…"

"This is the team you have," Jayden stated. "It's unconventional, I know, but it's the best you can ask for. Take care of them and they'll take care of you."

"And most importantly, don't lie to us," Jayden and Lauren turned to the door, seeing Emily standing in the room with an obvious angry look on her face. Jayden lowered his head.

"Emily…"

"You treated me like shit when I first came here," Emily growled. "You didn't even pretend to care about me. Remember that? Remember, Jayden? I wasn't good enough for you because I wasn't first born."

"I didn't know Serena was sick," Jayden shook his head. "Emily, you know…"

"I worked my ass off for this team and for you!" Emily shouted and tears were already beginning to stream down her face, "I know I wasn't the best, and I had a lot I needed to work on, but I was doing all I could. Do you remember that? Do you remember, Jayden? I screwed up. I wasn't the best. Serena's always been better than me, but she couldn't fight. I was the best you were going to get. You were going to leave me!"

"Emily, I regret that with all of my…"

"I know I messed up that time. I know my attack got out of hand. But I tried to make up for it. When that Nighlok attacked you, I jumped in the way. I got hurt! I fell! You didn't give me a second thought. I wasn't good enough for you because I wasn't first born. You were going to leave me!"

"I'm so sorry, Emily."

"No," Emily growled and shook her head, "Now I'm the true yellow Ranger, and you're just the replacement. Now I'm going to be the one to tell you that we deserve better."

With that said, Emily turned around and stormed out of the room. Jayden dropped his head back and looked up to the ceiling in tears. He had been a jerk to Emily. She wasn't wrong.

"Jayden…" Lauren took his hand. He pulled away from her.

"What she said was true. I didn't know Serena was sick and…"

"She had no right to say any of that," Lauren gave him a kiss on the cheek and then got up. She went after Emily, finding the yellow Ranger in the hallway. She grabbed the younger Samurai and roughly smashed her into the wall, "Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Let me go," Emily struggled and tried to push Lauren away. The true red Ranger had her pinned to the wall and as hard as Emily tried, she couldn't push her away.

"You're out of line," Lauren growled and slammed Emily into the wall again. She wasn't as rough as the first time, not wanting to actually hurt one of her Rangers, but she needed Emily to understand her behaviour wouldn't be accepted. Lauren wouldn't let anyone push her little brother around.

Suddenly, a pair of strong hands grabbed Lauren. They ripped her away from Emily, practically launched her to the other side of the hall and then smashed her against the wall – twice – before they held her against it. Lauren looked up and to her horror saw it was Serena who had attacked her.

"I don't give a damn who you are," the white Ranger whispered very softly, but threateningly. "I don't give a damn what you can do. If you put your hands on my sister again, I'll murder you with mine and make sure the Moogers feed on whatever's left of you. Is that understood, Red?"

Lauren nodded her head and Serena let her go. Lauren rubbed her shoulders and watched as Serena pulled Emily into a hug and then walked with her into one of the bedrooms. She sighed loudly. This was going to be a tough team to crack. She had always hated the secret, and what it meant for her and her brother. She had no idea the secret would be this big and destructive. It was supposed to be a secret that, once revealed, would be the beginning of the end for the Nighlok.

Now, it seemed it was just the beginning of the end.


	42. Lauren Needs Friends

Emily's words had hurt Jayden's badly, and what was worse was that he thought she was right. He had been a jerk to her when he had first arrived. He had been a jerk to the team. Though he had grown to love them and had opened himself up to them this secret changed everything. If Emily could storm into the room and give him hell, there was no telling what the others were thinking or how much they hated him.

"Maybe it's for the best," Jayden muttered. He tried to silence his groan as he pushed himself out of bed. Fiera's attack had calmed since her destruction, and the medicine was working well to treat his injuries, but moving around still hurt. He couldn't stay, though. Lauren needed to take her place. She was the key to everything. It was likely the Rangers wouldn't take to her right away, but they were a smart group. They were going to protect her and maybe, if Jayden was out of the way, they could grow to like her. She hadn't been hiding anything from them. If anything, she had given up her entire life so they wouldn't have to give up all of theirs. With her ready to use the Sealing Symbol, there was finally an end in sight. Soon, the Rangers would defeat Xandred. Soon, they could go back to their normal lives. They could see their families, they could start their own families, and they could put the Shiba House and the Samurai life behind them for good. If Lauren did what she was supposed to do, the Rangers and their children would never have to worry about the Nighlok again. When they calmed down they would see that.

The Rangers hating him made it easier to leave. Jayden packed up a few of his cloths in a bag. He tucked a bit of medicine away as well, knowing he would need it to fight the pain while he travelled. He wasn't sure where he would go but this was the start of his new life. He was a new person now. Jayden Shiba, the red Ranger no longer existed. That person was now useless. Lauren Shiba, the red Ranger, the true head of the Shiba Clan and hopefully the only person in history to ever master the Sealing Symbol had taken his place and was worth a lot more than he was. The best thing he could do was make room for her.

He took out the Black Box and set it on his desk. Tears slipped down his cheeks as he looked to it longingly. The Black Box had been a saving grace and a pain in the ass. Programming it had taken a lot from the team, and it had nearly torn them apart. Once they got it up and running, though, there was nothing that could stand in their way. For a while, no Nighlok could match the power of the Black Box.

Lauren would get her chance to use it. Jayden assumed it could help. The Black Box took a lot of Symbol Power, but it gave a lot of power in return. If she was in Super Samurai when she used the Sealing Symbol, it would double, maybe even triple the odds of the Symbol being strong enough to work and give the Symbol more power to really seal Xandred and all the Nighlok down in the Sanzu River for good.

He left the Black Box and all the Power Disks on his desk and then grabbed a paper and wrote a note. He hated leaving them all behind, but there was nothing he could do now. When he finished with the short note, he grabbed his bag and climbed out the window.

They would be better off without him.

-Samurai-

The whole house was silent. After the confrontation between Lauren and Emily, and then another between Lauren and Serena, the Rangers had gone into hiding in one of the rooms. Kate was furious with Ji and had headed to her home for the night to calm down. James was putting the baby to bed, and Ji was dealing with his own emotions bad backlash from the secret.

Lauren felt alone. It was a feeling she was used to, but it hurt now. She had always known she was a secret, and her arrival would be a hard pill for her team to swallow, but she had always pictured this day going a little better. Finally she would be back with her brother, and she would have a team of… friends.

Hiding away in the dojo, Lauren smacked a dummy over and over again. She wasn't practicing or training. She just needed to focus on something to pass the time and make this day end. Tomorrow could only get better.

A few tears slipped down her cheeks. Her team hated her. They didn't want her. They wanted her power, that was it. It was understandable. They were hurt. They had been lied to. She would never fit in.

The door to the dojo slid open. Lauren smacked the dummy once more and then turned to see who was tearing enough to approach the outsider. A few butterflies in her stomach started to flutter when she saw it was Serena.

"I wasn't kidding earlier," Serena muttered. "If you ever threaten my sister, I will tear you apart. You understand, right?"

Lauren nodded. Serena and Emily were a lot closer than she and Jayden were. Lauren already cared for her brother. The feeling had to be so much stronger for Serena.

"Emily told me what happened," Serena said. "She talked about Jayden when she first got here, and she even told me about what she said to him now."

"I don't care what my brother did. Emily shouldn't have spoken to him that way."

"I agree. Can we also agree your brother was a jerk to my sister? He told her, to her face, that she wasn't good enough for him."

"Seriously?" Serena nodded her head. Lauren sighed, "Alright, that's pretty bad."

"I talked to the Rangers. I told them about… you. How your father sent you away. How he asked Jayden to protect you. They understand it a bit better now. There's just one thing they don't like, and I agree with them."

"The lie."

"Why?"

Lauren shrugged her shoulders and looked to the dummy, "The best way to keep a secret is to keep quiet about it. The more people who know, the less it's a secret. You've fought the Nighlok. You've told me about how cunning and dangerous they can be."

"But your brother's been lying to his best friends for two years! How can that be okay?"

"It's what needed to be done," Lauren said. "Jayden didn't like this secret. I didn't like this secret. My father's plan…"

"Worked," Serena interrupted. "The Nighlok have no clue."

Serena pointed to the bench and invited Lauren to take a seat. The two girls sat down and Lauren looked to her lap sadly.

"I'm so sorry…"

"No one joins this team as soon as they walk through those doors," Serena said. "You've got to earn your place here. You can do that by either putting up with our bullshit until it all feels normal, or by enduring hell."

"Great, that's just what I need."

"Friendships aren't cheap," Serena told her, "but here's a coupon. Kevin's a Samurai freak. Emphasis on the Samurai. He's disciplined, he's traditional, and you're not going to get along with him most of the time. Mia's the only one who knows how to put up with his crazy…"

"His crazy…?"

"He's crazy. Don't touch his stuff; don't comment on how he eats his food, and, most importantly, give him time to adjust. He'll be your most loyal follower once he realizes you're his Samurai Leader. He's a good guy."

"Kevin's blue, right?"

Serena nodded her head and smiled, "Mia's pink. She loves the whole fairy tale thing."

"Fairy tales?"

"Princesses, princes, apples? You don't know fairy tales?"

Lauren shook her head, "Maybe once when I was really little but… no."

"You poor thing," Serena chuckled. "Mia's going to have a field day teaching you all about Cinderella and Snow White. She's also going to take care of you. Once she warms up to you, and I think that's already started, she's going to be one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She keeps us together. Once you win her over, everyone else will be right behind her."

"Really?"

"Mike's green. He's going to be the toughest one to get on board, especially since he's going through something right now."

"What is it?"

"You'll talk to him about it. You'll be sensitive and understanding. And don't get angry. It'll just make him worse."

"What does that mean?"

"Mike's different. Deep down, he's got everything you want in a Samurai. He will be loyal, he will be focused, he will do what he needs to do to get the job done, and he'll do it the right way. On the surface, he's lazy, distracted, and would rather be playing video games than doing anything else. You _need_ to be patient with him. More than the others. Patience, understanding, and a warm smile, and he'll be one of your best friends. Then there's Emily."

"Your sister."

"Build her up. Believe in her. She shatters easily. You protect her, you keep her strong, and she'll give you everything she has and more. Being a Samurai means the world to her. Her friends are important to her. Her family is everything. Once she sees you as a friend, or as her sister, you're not getting rid of her. Trust me, everyone's tried."

"So that's my team?"

"And Antonio," Serena nodded, "but he's known about you, so you'll have an easier time with him than the others. He loves your brother, though, so if he stays by Jayden's side, don't take it personally. Antonio's… you'll want him on your team. You'll need him on your team. He's one of a kind."

Lauren gulped. If the team had been intimating before, they were downright terrifying now. Serena wrapped her arm around Lauren's shoulder and gave her a comforting squeeze.

"You know them. Let them get to know you. Introduce yourself. The right way."

"The right way?"

"You're a good person, Lauren," Serena smiled. "You got caught up in a lie and it hurt a bunch of people but… we'll get past this. I promise you'll be a part of the team. You'll have everything you ever wanted and…"

Serena was caught off when something touched her lips.

Lauren couldn't help herself any longer. Serena had been so nice and so helpful, and these feelings had been bubbling inside her since she had laid eyes on the white Ranger that there was no more holding it in. She couldn't keep another secret.

Gently, she was pushed away by Serena, who looked to her in shock. She blushed madly and turned away, "I'm sorry…"

"Well, you and Jayden have something in common, then."

"He's kissed you?"

"No," Serena shook her head and held up her hand, "Lauren, I'm engaged."

"Oh…"

"To a man."

"Yeah, I knew it was too good to be true. I'm really sorry, Serena, I'll just… I'll talk to the others tomorrow. I promise. I… I…"

"Lauren, it's okay," Serena grabbed her hand and then quickly let go. Lauren turned around. She looked like she had just been kicked. Serena got up and pulled her into a hug, "I'll be there with you when you talk to the team. We'll make this transition easier for everyone."

"But the kiss…"

"I'm sexy and I know it," Serena teased. "Just ask Mia. You're not the first girl to lock lips with me."

"R-really?"

"She's also engaged," Serena explained, just so Lauren didn't fall on the wrong path again, "We'll talk again in the morning. We'll fill you in on all the details, I promise."

Lauren nodded her head and rushed out of the dojo. Serena sighed and started to clean up the mess Lauren had left behind. She felt badly for the red Ranger. She hadn't asked to be put in this position. She hadn't asked for any of this. It was why Serena hated the secret with a burning passion. Everyone had gotten hurt.

"Did I just see you making out with the new Ranger?" James asked as he walked into the room. "Do I have to keep my eyes on you at all times?"

"Slight misunderstanding," Serena said. She crossed her arms over her chest, "She's been through a lot. A lot, a lot. It's safe to say, everyone's a little confused."

"Do I have to worry?"

"You know," Serena smirked teasingly, "She was pretty good. Some people just have that talent."

"Okay, but do I have to worry? I mean, was she…"

"A thousand times better. If you weren't the father of my child, I might consider…"

"Serena."

"You know, the best part is that I'm not kidding."

"Serena."

"Soft, gentle, sweet…"

"Serena."

"Stupid ring won't come off."

James grabbed Serena's wrist and looked her in the eyes. He knew she was only joking. He still didn't like the game. He held her wrist and moved her hand away from her ring. Then he picked her up.

"Can we change the topic?"

"Jealous?"

"A little."

Serena wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "I'm just trying to make sure the team doesn't fall apart. And Lauren's a nice person. She doesn't deserve this."

"It's not going to be easy."

"I can try to make it a little…"

"Serena!" Lauren rushed out from Jayden's room with nothing but panic written all over her face.

"Who?"

Lauren handed Serena a note, "Jayden. He took off. He's not well. He's missing, he's…"

James set Serena down and looked over her shoulder to read the note. Serena crumbled it up.

"Dammit."

"I'll get the others," James groaned and walked towards Mike and Emily's bedroom, where the Rangers were all hiding.

Lauren looked up at Serena with tears in her eyes. Serena couldn't resist. She knew how the red Ranger felt. She pulled her in her arms.

"He's strong. Stupid, but strong. He can take care of himself."

"He's hurt!"

"Unfortunately that's never stopped him before."


	43. A Sacrifice That Burns

Awkwardly, sadly, Lauren sat at the head of the table in the common room. She stared at the note Jayden left and tried to hold back her tears. She was genuinely worried for her brother, and disappointed he was gone. Though the team wasn't ready for her, Jayden's absence made it official: it was her team now. These people – these strangers were now her responsibility. Their training, their battles, their lives were all led by her. A huge weight landed on her shoulders, and on top of all that, she now had to carry the guilt of knowing that she had put all this weight on her little brother.

"What do you mean, he's gone," Antonio was the very first to show concern for Jayden, and he looked ready to jump out of his seat and go after the former red Ranger. Lauren gulped, ready to explain what she read from the note, but Serena jumped in and read the note a loud.

"_I'm so sorry, guys. There's no way I can ever make up for this secret I've kept from all of you. You've put your faith, your trust, and your lives in my hands. I didn't deserve it. The love and care you've all shown me was misplaced, but it will never be forgotten. You were all my true friends. I regret the pain I've caused. Lauren is your leader now, and I hope you can follow her like you've followed me. Please keep her safe. She's our only hope."_

Serena handed the letter back to Lauren. The red Ranger sighed and looked around the room. Everyone was hurt and she didn't know what to do about it. She wanted to restore the team to what it was before she had shown up, but she had no idea how to do that.

"We need to bring him back," Antonio spoke up. The Rangers looked to him but they didn't say anything. Antonio stood up and glared at them, "Guys, he lied, but he's still our friend. He's still Jayden. C'mon…"

"He can take care of himself," Mike muttered. He got up from his stool and started to walk out. Mia grabbed his arm before he got too far.

"Antonio's right."

"Thank you, Mia," Antonio whispered in relief. Mia pulled Mike back down to his stool and looked each of her teammates in the eye.

"We had no idea about Lauren and the Nighlok still don't, right?" Mia turned to Lauren. She shrugged her shoulders, unsure of what to say. Serena nodded her head.

"I got her here unnoticed."

Mia turned back to the Samurai, "That means the Nighlok still think Jayden's the key. They're still going to go after him. If he's out there all alone, he's in trouble. Think of what he's done for us."

"He's lied to us," Mike rolled his eyes.

"He's tried to protect all of you," Antonio shook his head and clenched his fists, "Guys, can't you see? He's never once asked you to put yourselves in danger for him. He insisted otherwise. Protect yourselves. Don't worry about me. Doesn't that ring a bell?"

Kevin stroked his chin. Antonio did have a point, "He was kind of stubborn," he said, "The more we protected him, the more he threw himself in harm's way."

"He's a good guy! You've spent two years with him. You know him!" Antonio begged the Rangers reconsider their decision. He knew they were good people, but the burn was still too fresh. It was clouding their judgement. "Those two years were real. So… so he has a sister. Emily has a sister. Mia's got a brother."

"Jayden and Lauren's father made the decision to keep Lauren's existence a secret," Serena explained to the team again, hoping this time it would really sink in. She needed the team to come together. "With her in hiding, and with the Nighlok clueless, she would have enough time to properly master the Sealing Symbol. In the meantime, someone needed to protect her. He gave that role to Jayden. While Lauren trained, Jayden would fight the Nighlok."

"So this heroic father Jayden's always talking about was actually a huge douche," Mike scoffed. "Jayden was just a kid, wasn't he, and his dad told him to…"

"Don't you dare talk about my father that way?" Lauren jumped out of her seat and shouted. "The day my father sent me away was the hardest day for all of us, and it was one of the greatest sacrifices he made. He gave up his daughter for everyone. You included. The day of the great battle, he knew his Sealing Power was imperfect, but he used it anyways. He died creating it so we could make it to this point. So I would have enough time to truly master the Sealing Symbol. He was not a douche! He died so you could live. So we could all live."

"So then where the hell have you been?" Mike also got up and he stood toe to toe with Lauren, "Xandred's already turned up once. He nearly killed Jayden. Where were you? Making s'mores with that campfire you call Symbol Power while your little brother was risking his life? And why weren't we allowed to know? Are we not good enough? Not strong enough? Are we just stupid bodyguards? Useless?"

"That is enough!" Ji roared and silence fell over the room. Antonio took this as an opportunity to run. Jayden was outside somewhere, roaming the forest or the city streets by himself. He was hurt and he was still the Nighlok's biggest targets. Antonio needed to convince him to come back home where he was safe.

Ji looked to all the other Samurai in the room, "You have all made a huge sacrifice. I understand this secret may feel like a slap in the face to you Rangers, but it is no reason for you to turn your backs on each other. Lauren is…"

"Not our leader," Mike shook his head. He looked Lauren right in the eyes, "You will never be my leader."

He stormed out, punching the wall again, leaving another hole. He made it halfway down the hall when he realized there was someone missing. He turned around and walked back to the common room, "Emily? Guys?"

Though Lauren was trying to stay strong to prove what it took to be a leader, her eyes betrayed her. A single tear rolled down her cheek, screaming pain and guilt. Serena took the red Ranger in her arms again to comfort her while the others watched.

Mike flicked his thumb over his shoulder and pointed down the hall, "Guys, aren't you…?"

"Mike, it's not the time," James shook his head.

Mike threw his hands up in the air, "This is unbelievable. Guys, hello? Don't you remember we were lied to? Emily, what about Carrie? We could have…"

"Carrie has nothing to do with the secret," Emily shook her head and looked to Mike sadly. "Carrie died because Serrator wanted to hurt us."

"Fine, whatever," Mike rolled his eyes, "They still lied to us."

"It… it could have been worse, I guess," Mia shrugged her shoulders, "Jayden's big secret could have been… that he was a Nighlok or something. We could have been tricked worse."

"You guys are too soft," Mike shook his head and stormed out again, "This is ridiculous."

As he left, Lauren looked to Jayden's team. She pulled away from Serena and stood up, "I know… I know you all probably feel used and I get it. I get that you don't get it. I did go into hiding. I did keep my distance from my brother, and I did so willingly. I let him take my place, and I let him throw himself in harm's way for me. I let him ask you to trust him, and I let him abuse that trust. This secret is a horrible one. I'm not proud of the things I've done. I'm not proud of the fact that I put my little brother in so much danger. But… thank you. It's thanks to you he's safe. He's all I have left and I can never repay you for the sacrifices you have made for him."

Lauren gave the Samurai a slight bow and then left. Serena looked to them hopefully.

"You have no idea how painful it is to ask someone you care about to fight in your place. You guys are angry, and you have every right to be. I was angry too. But put yourselves in her shoes and in Jayden's shoes for just one damn second. We're a team. We're Samurai. Our mission is to protect the Earth from the Nighlok. Our goal is to seal them away for good. Guess what. We can do that now."

Serena got up and went after Lauren, leaving the other Samurai to think.


	44. A Flame In The Bitter Cold

Nervously, Emily walked into Lauren's room. It used to be Jayden and Antonio's, but they were both gone. It was time to start getting used to the big secret. Lauren was here, she had the power to seal Xandred and the Nighlok away for good. The Samurai did need her.

"Go," Mia and Kevin encouraged her as they stayed one step behind her. Emily bit her lip and looked to Lauren sadly. The red Ranger, when she had seen she had visitors, had tried to wipe away her tears and erase all traces of her sadness. Everyone saw through it, though. Emily, especially, felt guilty.

"I'm sorry," she whispered and bowed her head. Lauren looked confused so Emily explained, "What I said to Jayden… I think that's why he ran off. I don't… I didn't… I was… He's not useless. He never was. Without him we wouldn't be here."

Lauren got up from the bed and looked to the three Samurai before her, "I should be apologizing to you. My secret…"

"Will save the world," Kevin shrugged his shoulders. "It hurts we weren't trusted with it but… it could be worse. You were just doing what you were asked to do, and your dad did what he thought was right. If we pull this off, what'll it matter whether we knew or not."

"Defeating Master Xandred comes first," Mia nodded. "We lost sight of that for a moment. Being Samurai Rangers has been our lives for two years. Sometimes it gets hard separating duty from personal."

"You guys shouldn't be apologizing to me," Lauren insisted.

"We are," Emily said and she gave Lauren a half smile. "We've always followed Jayden so it's going to be hard to make the switch, but we're going to try our best."

"As long as you try too," Kevin said. "You may be our leader, but we've been in this war for two years. One thing about Jayden that was great was that he listened to us. We were a family and we care for each other and for our opinions. He had the final say but we had our voices."

"I'll do my best not to step on any toes," Lauren promised. "You guys have the experience. I will trust you."

"And we'll trust you in return," Emily smiled and then she looked out the window, "but trust doesn't come easy. Antonio's looking for Jayden, and so is James. So that gives us time to get to know each other."

"What about in the morning?" Lauren suggested, "I think we've all had a long day."

"We train at eight," Mia said. "Maybe you can show us a few of your moves then. If you're the true head, and stronger than Jayden, then it'll be interesting to see exactly what you can do."

"And I'll try to talk to Mike," Emily said, "But I make no promises. He's stubborn."

"Goodnight," Lauren waved goodbye to them and turned around to Serena, who had been sitting on the bed listening to everything. The white Ranger gave her a huge smile.

"Less than twenty-four hours. It took James months to win over my sister. I think that's a new record."

"You think I've won them over? I feel… worse."

Serena shifted over so she was closer to Lauren, "Why? Lauren, they're making an effort. They're opening the door for you to join them. It's a big deal, and it's a good thing. It's exactly what you've needed…"

"What do I know about leading a team?" Lauren shook her head. "What do I know about them? They gave themselves to Jayden. What if… What if I'm not as good as him? What if I let them down? What if I can't fit in?"

"You're going to be fine," Serena said. She took Lauren's hands and smiled. Lauren blushed and pulled away. She looked up to Serena nervously.

"Sorry. You're engaged and… it's weird. About earlier. I…"

"It was just a kiss. I'm flattered," Serena assured her. "Don't worry about it. We don't need to talk about it. Well…"

"What?"

"I am curious about something."

Lauren shook her head, "Serena, no. I don't want to come in here and ruin what you have with…"

"Not like that," Serena chuckled. "You told me you've spent most of your life training and traveling. You've gone from mentor to mentor. You've had no stability in your life, right?"

Lauren shook her head, "Very little."

"And you've been so busy. The Sealing Power, it's a big deal. It would take a lifetime to master. You claim to have it."

"You don't believe me?"

"I do. I believe you. It's just… How did you know? Is there a story there?"

"A little, but… you don't want to hear it."

"Have you ever opened yourself up to someone?"

"Only you. You're my first… friend?"

"Why are you hesitating?" Serena chuckled, "We're friends. I like you. I sat next to you in a plane travelling half way around the world. We've bonded. There's nothing you can do about that."

Tears welled up in Lauren's eyes as she tried to turn away. Serena's heart melted. She knew Jayden's story. She knew how he had grown up focused on nothing but the Samurai life. The arrival of the Samurai had opened him up to new experience, and they had been his first exposure to what a real family was like. Still, even closed off, Jayden always had Ji by his side, and for a while, he had a friend in Antonio. In fact, their friendship was so strong that fifteen years after being ripped apart, Antonio came back and their friendship didn't restart. It continued to grow.

Lauren had been alone. From the time her father sent her away until Serena came to pick her up she had not had a single person in her life to call family. Even her brother was a stranger to her. Serena couldn't imagine the loneliness. She had never been forced to face the bitter cold of loneliness.

"I'm your friend," Serena assured her as she held her close. "I promise, it's only going to get better from here."


	45. Shiba vs Shiba

Lauren woke up the following morning to an empty bed. Serena had stayed with her through the night after Lauren broke down in tears. Serena had stated during the night that she considered Lauren a friend. It was a big deal for Lauren, and a huge milestone in her life. She had never had a friend before. She knew a lot of people as a result of all her travels and her studies, but no one was really her friend. She had never opened up to anyone until Serena. Until now, she had faced everything by herself.

Even her sexuality. That had been a huge mess. Though she had been quite sheltered and quite focused on her Samurai studies, love hadn't escaped her. She was the red Ranger, and the key to stopping the Nighlok for good, but she was also human. She had never been around people long enough to form friendships or relationships, but she had developed feelings she could never act upon. Through research of her own and with feelings she couldn't deny, she had realized she wasn't traditional when it came to love. She was still somewhat confused given her lack of experience with both men and women, but she was fairly certain she was what most would call a lesbian.

She wasn't alone, anymore. Serena declaring her friendship meant she was committed to Lauren. After the kiss, it was obvious Lauren had been looking for a little more than friendship from Serena, but what she got was more than enough. A friend. The words brought a smile to her face. A real friend. Maybe, just maybe, she would have a family. Maybe she wouldn't lead a lonely life after all.

Lauren got out of bed and got changed for training. Mia, Kevin, and Emily wanted to get to know her a little better, and they wanted her to earn their trust. The best way to do that was to see exactly who she was. Training was a good start. Though it could get rough from time to time, when it was done well, it was also a bonding exercise. After all, when sparring, you have to trust your opponent won't beat the crap out of you.

When she got to the dojo, Mia, Serena, Emily, and Kevin were all on the mat warming up. Lauren looked to them and then looked down at her robes. She was dressed a lot more like a traditional Samurai and stood out like a sore thumb.

"I like it," Kevin smiled and Lauren saw the girls all rolling their eyes.

"Of course _you_ would," Emily giggled and then she turned to Lauren, "but he's right, it's not bad."

"It looks comfortable," Mia said. Lauren nodded her head and picked up a training sword. She looked to her teammates and then locked eyes with Serena. The white Ranger came over to her while the other three continued with the warm up.

"Level heads. You don't have to worry about them beating the crap out of you."

"I never was," Lauren smirked. "I've dedicated my entire life to training, remember?"

"Good point. Still, they're coming around. They're willing to take you in. Guess what, Red. That's three more friends. Overnight. For a newbie, you're doing great."

Lauren smiled, but felt her stomach turn. Though she had always longed for friendships, she knew the downside. Leading a team meant putting herself at risk of disappointing them, or letting them fail. Leading a team of friends meant caring if she let them down. Though she was confident she had what it took to defeat Xandred, the risk of someone getting hurt or dying was still great. It took time and power to create the perfect Sealing Symbol. During that time, she would need to be protected. She couldn't make a family only to lose them all again.

"Orange vs. purple," Serena called out and got funny looks from her friends. She groaned, "C'mon, guys, its basic colour math. Pair up and let's beat the crap out of each other. I want to see bruises before breakfast."

-Samurai-

Though Antonio had a head start, James caught up to him during the night and helped him search for Jayden for a couple of hours before calling it a night. They checked in at a nearby hotel and stayed the night, determined to head out to search for Jayden once they were rested. They would be no use to him exhausted.

When morning came, Antonio was out of bed as soon as his eyes opened. He quickly showered and got changed and woke James up.

"We'll get breakfast to-go," he insisted. "Jayden's had a huge head-start. He could be anywhere by now. We need to…"

"Did your Samuraizer go off?"

Antonio shook his head. James had a point. A silent Samuraizer meant no Nighlok had come to Earth. Jayden wasn't in any immediate danger and he was strong and smart enough to take care of himself. Antonio wouldn't stop worrying, though.

"Please, James."

"You know him best," James got out of bed and started for the bathroom, "While I shower, think of places he could have gone."

Antonio nodded and sat down to think. Jayden had run away and Antonio wasn't quite sure why but he was still confident he could come up with a few places his boyfriend would be. Of course, with the Nighlok still unaware of Lauren, he wouldn't leave himself out in the open. He would try his best to stay out of sight or to blend in. If he was injured, then wandering alone through the forest was too dangerous. Of course, if Jayden was in the state of mind Antonio hoped he wasn't in, he wouldn't care about his safety. Jayden could be quite reckless when he didn't care.

One thing Antonio did know, though, was that there was no taking the Samurai out of Jayden. Though Lauren had taken his place, Jayden always had been and always would be a Samurai. Protecting others, especially his friends would always come first. When James came out of the shower, Antonio looked to him.

"Jayden's in the city."

"Are you sure?"

"He's in Panorama City. There are still Nighlok. We're all still in a lot of danger. He wouldn't go too far."

"Where do we start looking, then?"

"Anywhere, as long as we're out there," Antonio started for the door, "If I think of anything more specific while we're searching, I'll tell you, but we can't just sit around here."

-Samurai-

The Rangers were training in the dojo, but Mike stood outside. The doors were closed, leaving only a little crack for Mike to look through. He saw they were sparring with Kevin and Mia vs. Serena, Emily, and Lauren. Mike shook his head. He looked down at Storm.

"Can you believe them?" he asked the dog, "She turns up from out of nowhere, and instantly these guys trust her. After what she's done to Jayden, and after how the Shiba Family lied to us, they still trust her."

Storm, like Mike, was also a little reserved about the new human in the house and growled slightly when Lauren's figure passed across the crack in the doors. Mike took the dog in his arms and petted her.

"You get me," suddenly, a wicked smirk crossed his lips and he set Storm down. He opened the doors a little wider and held Storm's collar. Though Mike could tell the fight was a spar, and Lauren and Emily were teammates, to Storm it looked like a lot of sticks flying around and hitting people. It was enough for her to consider the new human a threat. She had learned her masters weren't a danger to each other or her mistress when they played this way, but she didn't know Lauren. She didn't trust her.

"Look at her," Mike said to the dog, "She's going to hurt Emily."

Storm's growl grew a little louder. She knew what Mike was saying. She didn't like the new human.

"Go get her," Mike let go of Storm's collar, "Attack her Storm. Protect Emily."

Barking loudly, Storm squeezed her way into the room and charged for Lauren. Though she was a small dog, she had the strength and the fight of one twice her size. With sharp teeth she snapped at Lauren's robes and tugged violently. The barking startled Lauren and Storm was strong and determined enough to pull Lauren off her feet. When she was on the ground, Storm jumped on top of her and snapped again when Lauren held up her arms to shield herself. Her attack was mostly barks and growls, but the threat was present. Aggressively, Storm was telling Lauren she wasn't welcomed.

"No, Storm!" Emily snatched the small dog and pulled her off of Lauren. She held her in her arms so Strom couldn't go in for a round two and glared at the dog, "What's wrong with you? You know better!"

Mike tip-toed away from the room before he was noticed.

"Sorry about her," Serena apologized for the dog as she helped Lauren to her feet, "I'm not the only one who gets protective of Emily."

"How long have the Samurai had a dog?"

"When she's not vicious, she's great around the house," Mia explained. "She's good for relaxing, when you need a laugh, or if you need someone less human to talk to."

"And she's a great cuddler," Emily said while dropping Storm just outside the dojo and locking her out. "I don't know what's gotten into her. Did she hurt you?"

Lauren shook her head. A few superficial scrapes was nothing to worry about.

"Animals are pretty smart," she said. "I know my arrival's shaken up the house. Maybe she's picked up on the tension and the anxiety. It's fine. All's forgiven."

"Are you sure?"

Lauren nodded her head and forced a smile, "Yeah. No harm, no foul."


	46. Cousins

Ji spent quite a bit of time in his room since Lauren's arrival and Kate's departure. For as long as the secret had been around, he knew it was a big danger for all the relationships he had made, even the one between him and Jayden. Since the last great battle, Ji's whole purpose was to raise and train a young boy into a powerful Samurai who would protect his sister and lead her team until she was finally ready to take her place and had complete mastery of the Sealing Symbol. Now that Lauren had come back, Jayden nor Ji had much purpose anymore. Ji knew Jayden was gone and it broke his heart to imagine his son all alone in the world, but there was nothing he could do for him anymore. Jayden was his own man. He made his own decisions and he was stubborn. He had left for a reason, and convincing him to come home would be like convincing all the Nighlok to stay in the Netherworld out of kindness.

This time, Jayden was going to have to find his own way. His own purpose. Ji could no longer help him. All he could do for his son was hope that one day their paths would cross. With a heavy heart, he pushed down his instinct to run out the door and run after Jayden.

But he would never stop protecting his son. He had friends all around the city, and indeed, all around the world. He had asked them to keep their eyes on Jayden, to make sure he was safe. They would step in to help Jayden in Ji's place if need be. They would also warn Ji if he needed to intervene. If Jayden got too reckless or couldn't get on the right path, they would see. Ji would know.

They would also protect him from Nighlok. Until it was revealed that Lauren was the true red Ranger and the true head, Jayden was still in grave danger.

With Jayden out trying to find his new purpose, Ji needed to find his own. Turning to his bed, he looked to Kate's side and sighed sadly. He feared he would never have her back and it was unfortunate. He had loved her for a while but had been scared to say it. He worried she didn't feel the same way. Little did he know she did and she had confessed her feelings as she walked out of his life. He would see her again. She was Serena and Emily's aunt, and would likely want to check up on them from time to time, but it would never be the same.

He put his head in his hands and fought to hold back the tears. It was a losing battle. Everything he ever loved was gone.

Just outside his bedroom door, Lauren had been about to knock. Ji had left the door open just a crack and so she could see him sobbing at his desk. She couldn't imagine what he was going through. She missed her brother, but she hadn't seen him in over fifteen years. She was used to the pain and the loneliness. Ji had raised Jayden and now he was gone.

"It's more than you think."

Lauren turned around and saw Emily walking by with the dog in her arms. Storm seemed a little agitated by Lauren's presence, but harmless. Emily looked into the room and then back at Lauren, "I'm sure Mentor misses Kate a lot. We all know they loved each other. Well, everyone but them. Kate's pretty pissed, and Mentor acts tough, but he's a real softy deep down."

"What was my father thinking?" Lauren sighed. "All this pain, is it really worth it?"

"I don't know about you, but it'll all be worth it if the Nighlok are gone for good. They're… it's been a rough road."

"To say the least," Lauren agreed. "Serena's told me a few stories. A lot of them about you."

Emily smiled and shrugged her shoulders, "She gets really proud. I'm all she ever talks about sometimes."

"If Jayden can make me half as proud as you've made your sister, I'll be really happy."

"He'll make you twice as proud," Emily insisted. "I've been thinking about this secret thing. Jayden's had to take your place, like I had to take Serena's. But there's a huge difference. Once everyone found out I was second born, I had support and my friends got to know the real me. Jayden never got that kind of help. He had to act like he was you, knowing he wasn't. He had to lie every day. That's tough. I'm sorry, again, for blowing up at him. And I'll apologize to him once he comes back."

Lauren shook her head, "He's not coming back."

Emily gave her a look, "I know you're his sister, but I think I know him a little better than you do. He's going to come back. I promise. He'll come back and we're going to defeat the Nighlok and then we're going to be a happy family. Maybe even Mentor and Kate will be happy together. You know, that'll make us cousins."

"Cousins? How? What do Ji and Kate have to do with me?"

"You're Jayden's sister. Mentor is Jayden's dad, so in a way he's kind of like your dad. Or step-dad if you prefer. If he and Kate get married, then Kate will be your step-mother and Mentor will be my uncle and that'll make us cousins."

"You think Ji will be my step-father?"

"Once he stops crying and comes out of his room. He's the father of all the Samurai here. He's always taken care of us and he treats us like his kids. I'm sure you'll be treated no differently."

Lauren smiled. The thought of replacing her father scared her but she had to admit liking the idea of someone finally taking care of her. So many people had watched over her as she grew older and trained harder, but no one had really taken care of her before. The promise of a family warmed her heart. The promise of the family Emily was so confident she would have warmed every part of her.

Emily held up Storm, offering the dog to the red Ranger, "See, Storm, Lauren's not mean. She's actually really nice. She's going to keep you safe."

When Storm was placed into Lauren's arms, neither Shiba knew what to do at first. Then Storm settled. Lauren was warm and she was soft and gentle. And contrary to what she previously believed, she wasn't a threat. The little dog cuddled into Lauren's chest and begged the human Shiba to pet her head and back.

"That's Storm's way of saying sorry I judged you," Emily smiled and took the dog back, stroking her for Lauren. "She needs to work on it a bit. She should be offering you kisses instead of demanding to be pet."

"It's fine. She's kind of cute."

Emily set Storm down and told her to find something else to do. She turned back to Ji's room and saw he was still crying. She rolled her eyes and then grabbed Lauren by the arm.

"C'mon, we're going to fix things."

"How?" Lauren asked. "I'm the reason it's all broken."

"No, the secret is. Just hurry up, slow-poke!"

As the girls darted off down the hall, Mike stepped out from around the corner and glared intensely at Lauren's retreating figure. He did not like anything about her.

Down the hall, Emily and Lauren raced past the common room in a hurry, grabbing the attention of the other Samurai, who were playing with Terran or keeping their eyes on the map. Just because James and Antonio were already out searching for Jayden didn't mean they couldn't do their part from home. If he turned on his Samuraizer, or if a Nighlok popped up, they would know about it right away.

"Whoa, whoa," Serena got up and walked to the front hall. Emily was already dressed to leave and was forcing Lauren to put her coat on. "Where do you two think you're going?"

"Ji's sad," Emily explained. "So we're going to get something to cheer him up."

Serena shook her head, "Emily, don't meddle."

"I take after you," Emily grinned. When Lauren had her coat on she opened the door and pushed her out. Serena knew there was no stopping her.

"Don't let the Nighlok know who Lauren is! Be careful! Keep your Samuraizers on! If you see Jayden, go after him! Oh, and don't give her cookies! Lauren? Lauren, did you hear me?"

"Too late," Kevin chuckled. Serena rolled her eyes and closed the door. She walked back into the common room.

"I should have said that first."


	47. The Unwelcome Party

Lauren sat nervously on the couch and looked around the room. Emily had taken her to Kate's home and was now pleading with the older woman to come back to the Shiba House. Lauren sat in silence, unsure of what to say or do to help Emily. She did want to see Ji a little happier, and she liked Emily's idea of him taking on a fatherly role in her life. If Kate did decide to come home, and she and Ji were as in loved as Emily imagined, Lauren could have a true family to call her own.

"Please…"

"Emily, stay out of it," Kate shook her head. Clearly she was annoyed by her niece's constant begging, and several times had asked for Emily and Lauren to leave. Emily was a stubborn soul, though. "What Ji has done…"

"Isn't the worst," Emily said. "I overreacted, I know I did. I apologized to Lauren and I took back everything I said. We're all getting used to Lauren and this big secret. Please, please, please, at least come back to the house."

"I'm staying here," Kate got up and walked to the door. She opened it and gestured outside, signalling now was really the time for Lauren and Emily to leave. "You and Serena are more than welcome any time, but I want nothing to do with Ji anymore. Am I understood?"

"But Kate…"

"He lied to all of you. He put his son in danger," Kate shook her head, "Now get out."

"I'm welcome any time."

"Not this time," Kate growled and pointed outside, "Emily, please."

"C'mon," Lauren gently took Emily's arm and walked her out. As soon as they were on the doorstep and the door was closed, Emily rang the doorbell. Lauren pulled her away. "Sometimes, the best thing to do is wait."

"If we wait too long, she'll fill that house up with cats," Emily huffed and marched off down the street. "I am not letting my aunt turn into the crazy cat lady."

"Why does this not sound like it's over?" Lauren groaned.

Emily shook her head, "Because, it's not. Let's go home, Lauren. If we can't bring Kate to Mentor, we're going to have to bring Mentor to Kate. How many candles can you light at once?"

-Samurai-

With Lauren and Emily gone, Jayden missing, and Antonio out looking for him, Mike had the red and gold Rangers' room all to himself. He gathered up everything that he deemed didn't belong (so Lauren's things), and put them in a big bag. Lauren hadn't brought too much with her, claiming she had never owned very much as a result of constant training and travelling.

He took her clothes, her books, and even went through Jayden's closet to see if she had already taken over that. Once he thought he had everything, he threw the bag out the window and climbed out after it. He dragged it out to the forest and left it all there. Just to be sure it would never be found again, he buried it under leaves and even grew out some roots from the trees to hold it down and trap it. By the time he left, the spot where he had left his bag of her things looked like a little mound that belonged to the forest. No one would ever be the wiser.

He couldn't have his daughter. She couldn't have anything. That was the deal.

As he got back inside the house, he could hear laughter coming from the hallway. He poked his head out from the room and saw Lauren and Serena coming by. Lauren must have gotten home while he had been burying her things. Trying not to be caught, he hid in her closet. He hated the small space, but it was a small price to pay. He wanted her to feel unwelcomed, and if hiding in a closet meant he would see her walking out the door faster, he would stay in the closet forever.

"I'll try to talk to Ji, I promise," Serena said to Lauren as they walked into the room. "I didn't set him and Kate up just to watch them fall apart. They're perfect for each other."

"I wouldn't know," Lauren shrugged her shoulders and sat on the bed. So far, it didn't look like she had noticed anything wrong with her room. Mike watched from a small crack in the closet door, hoping he could witness the realization first hand. Lauren continued to speak with Serena, "It's Emily's idea. I'm just going along with it."

"You two seem to be getting along," Serena gave the red Ranger a bright smile. "Honestly, I wish James had won her over as quickly as you had. It would have saved me a lot of headaches."

"It's a weird feeling," Lauren put her hands on her thighs and rubbed them nervously, "I… I like it. You're all so close and so caring but… it's intimidating."

"We're a bunch of freaks. You can say it," Serena chuckled. "James still wonders how he puts up with all of us. But you're going to get there. I promise."

"I'm going to be a freak?"

"And you're going to love it."

"I just hope I can live up to expectation."

"I'm sure you will. And you've got a great team to back you up. They're all amazing."

"You have so much faith in me," Lauren looked up at Serena, "Why?"

"Someone's got to," Serena shrugged her shoulders and then looked to Lauren with a smile, "We've got a lot in common, Red, and I want what's best for my friends. We've been through hell in this war against the Nighlok. I don't even know where to begin to explain to you all that's happened. You're the end. You're going to be the thing that finally puts an end to this war and brings peace."

Lauren gulped. Serena sat down beside her and hugged her tight, "I've got your back. I promise."

Lauren returned to gesture, embracing Serena warmly, "I won't let you down, I promise."

"I know you won't," Serena nodded. She pulled away from Lauren and looked her in the eyes. "And, hey, when all this is done, maybe we can find a good woman to set you up with. I know, I know, no one's better than me, but we give it a shot, right? I don't mind playing wing woman."

Lauren chuckled and nodded her head, "I'd like to focus on making friends, first."

"Whatever you want."

In the closet, Mike was smiling from ear to ear as he eavesdropped on the conversation. He was sure he had heard everything right.

Now, it was really time to make Lauren feel unwelcomed.


	48. Mike's Twenty Questions

Complete mastery didn't mean she could throw her training out the window. The team was counting on her to save the world. Serena promised she wouldn't be doing it alone, but Lauren still felt like everything was on her shoulders. She needed to make her team proud; she needed to make sure her brother's sacrifice wasn't for nothing.

"We're playing a game," there was a knock against the wall of the dojo, pulling Lauren's attention away from her training for just a moment. She saw Kevin was standing by the doorway and he seemed to be waiting for her.

"Go ahead," Lauren said, "I've got to train."

"You're already amazing," Kevin assured her. "A couple of hours off isn't going to hurt."

Kevin tossed her the inactive Lion Zord, "You can even be red."

Lauren smiled at the Lion in her hand as he opened up and started to play with her fingers. She had missed her little friend and she was so proud of the way her Lion and Jayden had worked together all these years.

Kevin waved her over, insisting she join the team for a game. Lauren decided training could wait. Serena had made it clear bonding with the team was also important, and if they were inviting her to play a game it would be helpful if Lauren accepted. She walked across the hall with Kevin and took her seat in the common room. She set the Lion Zord on the board and had a look around. Almost everyone was present. Only Mike and Ji were missing.

"Do you know the rules?" Mia asked as she handed her the dice. Lauren nodded her head.

"I loved this game when I was a little girl. It's been a long time, though."

"Lion Zord will help you," Kevin insisted, "Nine times out of ten, he wins anyways."

"You can have first turn," Serena told Lauren and the red Ranger nodded. She was about to roll the dice when she saw a new piece on the board. It was the white queen from the chess set.

"What is…?"

"Emily hogs the Ape," Serena pouted. Lauren chuckled and rolled the dice.

Out in the hallway, Mike watched the game. Since overhearing about Lauren's preferences in her room, his brain had been spinning. He couldn't understand it himself, but he hated her with a strong passion. Though Emily had told him once before that Lauren and Carrie had nothing to do with each other, he still couldn't help but blame the Shiba Family, Lauren especially, for the death of his daughter.

He wanted to send Lauren away. To him, it felt as though if he got Lauren to leave the team he would feel better about everything. About having to say goodbye to his baby twice and about being lied to for two years by some of the people he trusted the most in his life. He didn't take kindly to his trust being abused.

He wanted to drive her away by making her feel as unwelcomed as possible. He wanted her to feel the very same pain he felt. He wanted to ruin her from the inside out, and take away the thing that meant the most to her. She wanted a family, just like he did. He wanted a family to call his own. With his wife and his daughter by his side. If he couldn't have that, she couldn't have anything.

He took in a deep breath and stepped into the common room. He decided the best way to do this was to join the others in their game. He wanted to lower Lauren's defences so that when he took a stab at her, it would really hurt.

As he took his seat, Emily took his hand. She knew he was having a hard time, and when she had time to be with him, she had done her best to try and cheer him up. Mike gave her hand a gentle squeeze and then looked to Lauren. He wanted to make sure she could see that he had something she didn't have.

-Samurai-

Antonio sat on a park bench and he held his head in his hands. He had searched everywhere for Jayden, and had even started to ask around. There was no doubt in his mind that his boyfriend was in the city but finding him was beginning to feel impossible.

James looked to his watch and then to Antonio, "We can't give up."

"He doesn't want to be found. He's gone."

"Antonio, why don't we head back to the motel? Maybe… Maybe after a little rest…"

"Rest will do no good!" Antonio shouted. He got up and kicked away a stone, underestimating its weight. He hobbled a little, forcing James to reach out and grab his arm.

"We'll go to the motel. We'll look again tomorrow. If we don't find him by then we'll head home and unleash the full on rescue team. Jayden will have nowhere to hide, then."

Seeing no other option, Antonio started back to the motel with James' help. It wasn't too far a walk, as they always made sure to end their day of searching near the motel. Running around the city all day was exhausting, and the last thing they needed was to walk across the city just to get home.

When they made it back James opened the door to the room. He told Antonio to sit on the bed while he would get him some ice from the little fridge the room provided. James opened the fridge, but noticed most of the food was already gone.

"Antonio, have you been snacking?"

Antonio shook his head. Suddenly, there was a flush from the bathroom and moments later the door opened. Jayden walked out. Antonio forgot all about his sore toe, jumped up from the bed and threw himself in his boyfriend's arms. Once he was satisfied with a hug and kiss, he shoved the former red Ranger, knocking him right off his feet.

"Where the hell have you been? We've been worried sick!"

"I've been following you guys," Jayden said as James helped him up. "Antonio, I'm so sorry…"

"Sorry doesn't cut it," Antonio crossed his arms and turned his back to Jayden, "You're stupid."

"I needed some time to clear my head. And I needed to get away. Now that Lauren's on the team, I don't have a place…"

"What do you mean?" Antonio spun around and shouted, "You're our leader! You're our friend. You're my boyfriend!"

"I can't be your leader," Jayden shook his head. "That's Lauren's job. But you're right about the other two. I just… I needed some time to realize that. That's why I surprised you here. I can't go home, Antonio, but I'm not going to leave you behind. I'm sorry I ran away."

James pointed to the bathroom, "I'll just… you know… I'll be in there."

Antonio and Jayden watched him retreat into the bathroom, giving them the privacy they were going to need to settle things. Antonio had been worried sick, and Jayden's running off hadn't been smart.

Fortunately, Antonio considered himself to be quite forgiving. He looked Jayden up and down and sighed, "You're still hurting?"

"A little bit," Jayden nodded. "I don't feel like I'm on fire, but there's some damage done. I'll be fine. These things heal."

"Come home, Jayden."

"I can't. I'll stay here. As long as you promise not to tell the others where I am, I'll be here."

"Why can't they know?"

Lauren's in charge. She has to be. Whether they like it or not, they need to follow her. If I go back… I just can't go back."

"If they haven't already come to their senses, I'm sure they will once we all sit down and talk about this. Jayden, everything's…"

"I'll stay here, I promise. You'll know where I am. You can check up on me every day…"

"And risk the Nighlok finding out where you are?" Antonio shook his head, "You're still the one they're hunting down. I'm staying here too."

"Antonio…"

"James can go home. He can tell the others we're both safe. I'm not leaving you alone."

Jayden sighed. He could see Antonio was serious and there would be no convincing him to leave. So Jayden nodded his head.

"Alright, we'll stay here."

-Samurai-

Though Mike was laughing on the outside, inside he was waiting for the perfect time to make the stab. Lauren was warming up to him and to the whole team. She would never see this coming.

"Three, perfect," she smiled as the Lion moved ahead three spaces.

"Why do you always roll exactly what you need?" Kevin groaned and rolled his eyes as Lauren picked up a card.

"Because I'm awesome," Lauren chuckled and she showed Kevin the card, "Pay up."

"I earned this fair and square," Kevin held up his card. "You can't just…"

"Thank you," Lauren plucked it from his hand. "Now, I can use my secret potion, Lion Zord will…"

"Secret potions, secret siblings, secret Sealing Symbols," Mike scoffed. "Got any more secrets up your sleeves, Lauren?"

Lauren turned to Mike and gave him a strange look. Emily nudged him gently in the ribs.

"Don't be a sore loser. We all knew she had the secret potion."

"Why don't we just get everything out in the open?" Mike leaned forward and looked Lauren right in the eye, "C'mon, Red, tell us a little more about yourself. I think it's only fair."

Lauren gulped. Mike's stare was uncomfortable. "What do you want to know?"

"You know, we can start with the basics. Date of birth. Favourite colour. What kind of music do you like? What about your interest in men, huh? Do you have a type?"

"Mike, that's personal!" Emily shoved him.

Lauren's gaze immediately shifted to Serena. The white Ranger shook her head and mouthed to Lauren a promise that she hadn't breathed a word to Mike. She hadn't shared Lauren's secret with anyone except for James, who had seen the kiss between them. But he had promised to stay quiet, and Serena trusted him.

There was no way Mike could know.

"It's not that personal. We should get all this stuff out in the open right away. I mean, Serena's got a thing for Nighlok."

"Michael, can I have a word with you in the kitchen," Serena growled.

Mike shook his head, "Lauren, c'mon, it's time we're all honest with each other. So do you like tall, strong men? Dark and mysterious? Blonde? Smart? Dumb?"

"I… I don't see why I have to…"

"You don't," Serena insisted.

"Maybe manly men aren't your thing," Mike said. "Maybe you like the softer guys. You know, the ones who are more in touch with their feelings. I think you want someone you can relate too. Who understands how hard it is to be a woman and..."

"Michael, kitchen, now!"

"Are women more your thing, Lauren?"

Lauren's cheeks turned bright red and she looked around the room. She shook her head, but everything else about her screamed yes. She couldn't hide it and she knew it. She started to clean up the board game, hoping it would somehow make everyone forget what had just happened.

"I give up. Second place wins. I had fun, I…"

"You're a lesbian," Mike taunted her. "You're a man hating, girl loving lesbian."

Serena grabbed Mike's ear and yanked him out of the room, leaving Lauren with the rest of the team. Lauren continued to clean up the game, but her hands were shaky and her eyes were clouded in tears. She couldn't see what she was doing, and even if she could, she couldn't control her hands long enough to do it right.

"Stupid board…"

"Lauren, don't listen to him," Emily told her. "He's just in a bad mood because…"

Lauren gave up with putting the game away and dropped it on the table before rushing out of the house.

"I think she needs to know about Carrie," Mia told Emily. "Go after her."

Kevin nodded his head and cracked his knuckles, "We'll talk some sense into that husband of yours."

"Emphasis on talk, promise?" Emily said. "I want to beat him up for this later."

"I'll try and save you a few pieces," Mia nodded.

Emily groaned and raced out the door, hoping she could find Lauren before the red Ranger got too far away. Mike's behaviour, whether he was right about Lauren or not, was truly appalling. She wasn't going to make any excuses for her husband, but she figured Lauren had a right to know what exactly had caused Mike to be so mean.

"I had to marry the jerk with the anger issues."


	49. Dekker's Message

Emily ducked, jumped, and dodged the trees and branches as she chased Lauren through the forest. Mike had said some pretty upsetting things to her, and whether they were true or not, Emily needed to apologize on his behalf. She also needed to explain her "_better half"_ – she used the term loosely at this time – to Lauren. She and Mike had had a pretty rough time right before Lauren had turned up. They had lost their child to Serrator, when he had unexpectedly attacked the Shiba House and had one of his Nighlok poison her. Though they hadn't been ready for a baby, losing her had been devastating. When things couldn't get any worse, she turned up. Serrator had gone to the future of another world where she had survived and he had brought her here. Ultimately it had been his downfall, but it was Serrator who got the last laugh. Carrie couldn't stay. She didn't belong in this world and Mike and Emily couldn't be the parents she dreamed of having. They had to send her away, forcing them to say goodbye to their baby for a second time.

It was rough for both of them, and though Emily was bouncing back from it thanks to Mike and Serena's support mostly, Mike couldn't keep himself together. He was devastated over the lost, and Lauren was the easiest target. He had just lost his daughter, and then he found out one of his best friends had been lying to him for years.

His behaviour wasn't excused, though. Emily knew Mike had a mean streak inside of him and Mike had promised her he would keep it under control. Though he hadn't attacked her or hurt her, it still felt like he had gone against his word. He had been a jerk and he had hurt Lauren. She knew the real Mike. She knew he wouldn't ever want to make his friends feel bad or hurt them. He had lost it.

"Lauren, wait up," Emily finally caught up to the red Ranger and grabbed her arm. She spun her around; happy for once that she finally knew someone closer to her size. It made holding Lauren a little easier. Even Mia had no trouble escaping Emily's hold.

"Well, now you know," Lauren sat down in the dirt and leaned against the trunk of a tree. Emily sat down beside her.

"Mike was right?"

"I found out a few years back," Lauren nodded. "I got a crush on one of my mentors and things got confusing. No one bothered to explain it to me so I looked it up myself."

"That still isn't an excuse," Emily said and she took Lauren's hand, "I'm really sorry about the jerk. He gets that way sometimes. It's just…" Emily took a deep breath. She was moving on, but it still wasn't easy for her to talk about, especially with someone she barely knew, "Mike and I had a daughter."

Lauren's eyes nearly popped out of her head, "What?"

"A little while back we realized we were pregnant."

"I know things are different this time around," Lauren shook her head, "but the number of babies in the Shiba House…"

"She never made it into the Shiba House," Emily let go of Lauren's hand and looked down at her lap. "Because of an attack, I miscarried. We weren't even far enough along to show. Then, Serrator, he's the Nighlok who attacked us, he brought her back. Our daughter."

"How?"

"You and Serena talked a lot. She's probably told you about some of the crazy stuff we've been through, right?"

Lauren nodded her head, "She went on and on about the Nighlok that turned you into a two year old."

"Let's just leave it at that. Just… Mike and I got a chance to have our daughter. Granted, she was as old as I was but it was… she was… she was our baby. There was no denying it. We had to send her away, though. She didn't belong here."

"Emily…"

"We lost our daughter twice," Emily whispered, "And it stings. I'll be okay but Mike… he's not doing so great. I try to get him to talk and stuff every night but it's not really helping. Then you turned up and this whole secret thing came out and… it just made him worse. I'm not making an excuse for him or for this but… that's what's going on. I'm really sorry, Lauren. You didn't deserve that."

Lauren dropped her head back against the tree and sighed. Serena had filled her in on a few of the things that had happened in the two years the team had come together, but this had put it into perspective. The Samurai had been through so much and they were so close because of it. They had suffered greatly because of the war, so it was no wonder this secret had hit them like a punch to the jaw. Lauren hadn't had the easiest life herself but at least she hadn't been lied to. At least she hadn't been put into danger. If anything, her whole life was about being protected and kept safe.

She wrapped her arms around Emily and pulled her in for a hug, "I'm so sorry, Emily."

"Just beat Xandred, okay," Emily gave her a squeeze and then pulled away. "Everything will be fine once the Nighlok are gone. We can do it this time, I know we can."

"We will," Lauren nodded confidently. "That's why I'm here. I'll make sure he's sealed away for good. I promise."

"I believe you," Emily smiled and then started to pushed herself back up to her feet. She held out her hand to Lauren, "I'm still sorry about Mike. He's a good guy, really. You just need to give him a little… smack in the head sometimes."

"At least he's not making up rumours, I guess," Lauren shrugged her shoulders. She looked Emily in the eye, "I know I've been sheltered, but when I was figuring myself out, I saw a lot of… non-supporters, let's call them."

"A lot of people are going to judge you," Emily nodded her head. "A lot of people are going to tell you you're wrong, and think they're better than you. None of those people live at the Shiba House. I promise."

"Are you sure? I mean, I know Serena's cool with it, but…"

"I'm positive," Emily smiled and then she looked to Lauren curiously, "Why are you telling all this stuff to my sister first? I get your best friends and stuff but…"

Lauren blushed, "Promise you won't laugh."

"No," Emily teased.

"I kind of have a crush on your sister. She knows because I kissed her," Lauren closed her eyes and waited for the laugh to happen. It didn't. She opened her eyes and saw Emily rolling her eyes and groaning.

"You kissed her, Mia's kissed her, James' kissed her, Antonio kissed her, Dekker kissed her… My sister's officially the Samurai whore."

"She really gets around. Wait, who's Dekker. He was mentioned before and…"

Before Lauren could finish her sentence, the tree the girls had been sitting by suddenly came crashing down between them, forcing them to jump out of the way before they were crushed. When Emily was sure the tree hadn't killed her, she jumped up and climbed over the fallen trunk. She saw Lauren on the ground and helped her up.

"Are you okay?"

"Peachy."

As Emily helped Lauren to her feet, she saw someone approaching her from the corner of her eye. She turned her head and gulped.

"Lauren, meet Dekker."

Lauren turned her head and saw a man standing by the tree that looked like it had been cut clean across. He ran his fingers down his sword and wore a menacing grin on his face. Lauren looked to Emily quickly.

"Did he cut that tree down with a sword?"

"You should see what he can do to rocks," Emily muttered.

Dekker looked to Lauren and then turned his attention to Emily, "I have a message for your red Ranger."

Emily grabbed Lauren's arm and held her back. This was not the time for Lauren to reveal herself. If the Nighlok found out she was the true red Ranger it would be bad. If Dekker found out she was a stronger and better warrior than Jayden…

Emily didn't want to think about that. It was bad enough the mad man was hunting down one of her friends. She didn't want to give him a two for one Shiba special.

"Why can't you deliver it to him personally?"

Dekker looked down to Urumasa, "You know how he is. I need the ultimate duel. The red Ranger fights best when he's motivated."

"What's he talking about?" Lauren turned to Emily while at the same time slowly reaching for her Samuraizer. It didn't take a genius to know she and Emily were being threatened by Dekker.

"I can handle him," Emily whispered to Lauren even though she knew it wasn't true. Her relationship with Dekker had been up and down. She had, on occasion, outsmarted him and won battles that way, but when it came to really fighting, Emily didn't stand a chance. However, she was willing to take the risk. The last thing Lauren needed was another crazed Nighlok coming after her. Emily couldn't win, but she could buy the others time to get here to help her out, and she could keep Dekker from figuring out who Lauren was and spreading the news of her secret around the Netherworld.

"Emily…"

"I'm sure," Emily said and shoved Lauren down the path home, "Go, I'll be fine. He's not that tough."

"He took down a tree."

"So can a beaver. Just trust me; I've dealt with him before. Trust your teammates and their experience, right?"

Lauren didn't have a good feeling, but she knew nothing about Dekker and she had yet to see the Rangers in a true battle. She had no reason to believe Emily was lying to her or underplaying the threat Dekker posed. Still, it felt stupid to run from a battle and leave a teammate behind.

"There aren't too many gap Sensors around here," Emily explained to Lauren and this time her word was true. Lauren had run far enough away from the house where it felt pointless to put up Gap Sensors. If the Samurai had them covering every inch of the Earth, they would never get any rest. Sometimes, Nighlok came to Earth but presented no immediate danger to anyone. "No one's going to know we need help."

Dekker grew tired of waiting. He had enough patience to let his opponents figure out the best strategy to attack him – as it made battles a lot more challenging and interesting – but there was a time where enough was enough. He cut off the chatter, attacking Emily first. If the new face decided she would stay, he would pull her into the battle. If she decided to leave, he didn't care. He was leaving a message. It wouldn't take him too long.

Lauren pulled out her Samuraizer, deciding it was best to attack, but it was smashed from her hand by a stray rock from Emily's attack. Looking up, she saw the yellow Ranger had knocked the Samuraizer away intentionally and it didn't seem like Dekker had noticed.

"GO!" Emily shouted as she morphed to take on Dekker.

Lauren tried to pick up her Samuraizer again but the fight between Dekker and Emily got in her way. Unprotected, she would have to wiggle her way between their two blades and pray her injuries coming out would be minimal. The risk was too big. Lauren didn't like it, but she felt like she had no choice but to run home. She would have to yell at Emily for it later.

She turned her back to the fight and darted through the woods. The faster she got home, the faster she could bring help back. She could only hope Emily had been honest when she said she could hold Dekker off.

As she raced through the woods, she occasionally glanced over her shoulder. She was far from the sight of the battle but thought maybe it was possible to know what was going on by looking back. Unaware of where she was going, she ran right into someone. Both of them fell over and rolled in the dirt. She was the first one on her feet and was about to run off, muttering a small apology when she heard her name. She turned around and recognized James – Serena's fiancé.

"What are you…?"

"We found Jayden," James explained. "Antonio's staying with him in a motel for now. They want to be alone. I'm on my way back to tell you and the others he's okay. Why are you out here? By yourself?"

Lauren gestured down the path she had come from, "Emily… Dekker…"

She was out of breath, but she had said enough. James' eyes grew wide and Lauren immediately knew she had made the wrong decision.

"I'll run back and tell the others," James was already hopping, ready to run back to the house for Lauren, "Go back and help her! We'll be right behind you."

Lauren nodded her head. She wasted no time turning back while James took off for the house, running as fast as his legs would carry him.

Lauren raced through the trees, slowing to a stop once she was close enough to see the battle happening. Emily and Dekker had moved away from her Samuraizer, leaving it open for Lauren. Seeing Emily needed help – she had already powered down – Lauren jumped out from the bushes and snatched up her Samuraizer from the ground.

Dekker saw the new face was back and knocked Emily off her feet. He stepped on her stomach to hold her down and watched as Lauren picked something up from the ground.

"Go, go, Samurai!" Lauren shouted, and right before Dekker's eyes she morphed into the red Ranger. He smirked. He didn't seem too surprised, but it was obvious this had been unexpected by the grin on his face.

"Well played," he moved away from Emily as the new red Ranger started to trace a symbol. Already he could see the power she possessed. His message was clear already and he decided it was time to retreat. He jumped into an opening Gap just as Lauren's flames were about to engulf him.

When he was gone, Lauren immediately powered down and looked to Emily, "You told me you could handle him."

"I'm not dead," Emily started to push herself up and got a helping hand from Lauren. "He wouldn't have killed me anyways. He's leaving a message."

"For who? Me or my brother. What's his deal?"

"Jayden. But that's not the…"

"No buts," Lauren shook her head and helped Emily walk back to the house, "Let's just get home. We'll talk there, that way your husband doesn't think I'm an aggressive, dangerous lesbian."

Emily lowered her head sadly and looked to the ground, "I'm sorry, Lauren. I…"

"We'll talk at home," Lauren repeated a little more forcefully.

Emily bit her lip nervously. Lauren's biggest concern right now was Dekker. She was sure to ask what he wanted and why he felt the need to deliver a message to Jayden. Emily's biggest concern was Lauren. Though her identity would have to be revealed at some point to the Nighlok it was still too soon. Dekker had seen her morph and he wasn't stupid. Though he did have a habit of keeping to himself, secrets had a habit of getting out. If one Nighlok knew the Rangers had to assume they would all know.


	50. Broken Heart

Lauren and Emily met up with the Samurai a little ways away from the Shiba House and they were quick to take their yellow Ranger from Lauren's hands. For the most part, Emily was fine. A few scrapes and cuts, but nothing to worry about. Of course, because it involved Dekker, everyone was instantly worried.

Mike especially. The others had talked to him, but they had mostly yelled at him with never worked to calm him down. He could admit, he had done something nasty to Lauren, but he still couldn't regret it. Though he knew Dekker had been involved the math in his head was a little closer to Lauren plus injured Emily equals Lauren's fault. Roughly, he shoved his red Ranger, pushing her into the dirt.

"What the hell did you do?"

Lauren knew very little about leading a team. She knew very little about making friends and being a friend. Most of the Samurai had taken her under their wing and once they had come to terms with how heavy a burden the secret had been for her and Jayden, they had been kind to her. Though it wasn't saying much, she already considered them to be her closest friends. Still, in moments like these, she felt useless, and so far it had allowed Mike to walk all over her with his anger. He had crossed the line a few times already and him assuming Emily being hurt was Lauren's fault was an accusation he had no right to make because he knew the truth.

Lauren was tired of letting this go. She was a strong person. She was just scared of her duties and scared of her friends. She wanted them to like her. But more than that, she wanted to keep them and her brother safe. She would never attack her teammates. And now she had just learned there was some wicked Nighlok asking for her brother for a big duel. She wanted answers, and she wanted to get on the task of making sure her brother was safe and that all the Nighlok knew to stay away from him.

She had no time to deal with whatever Mike was going through. Emily had explained it, and she knew it was tough, but this wasn't the way to behave. So, she figured that if Mike was going to take out his anger for losing his daughter on her, she could take out her anger about Dekker and Emily telling her she could handle him when it was obvious she was over her head on him.

"I saved your wife's ass," Lauren picked herself up and brushed the dirt off her clothes. "I even risked my own identity to do so. Instead of yelling at me, you should be thanking me."

"You risked your identity?" Serena asked. She hugged Emily with one arm, happy Dekker hadn't done any worse, but she was now worried about what Dekker had seen. Serena knew better than anyone how sick Dekker could be. It wasn't a promise he would share Lauren's secret with the Netherworld, but the information was his to use and abuse.

Lauren nodded her head and looked to Emily, "Dekker had a message for Jayden. What was it?"

Emily gestured to her cuts, "This is it. He wants a duel and he knows he'll get it if he pisses off Jayden. I guess with Serrator out of the way, Dekker thinks he can finally get the duel he's always wanted."

"What kind of duel? That whack job didn't look like an ordinary Nighlok."

"He's a half Nighlok," Kevin explained. "Serrator cursed him a long time ago, and Dekker thinks the only way he can be freed from his curse is if he's defeated by the ultimate opponent in a duel to the death."

"Either Jayden dies or Dekker does," Mia said. "But Dekker's been defeated before."

"Obviously not by this one," Lauren rolled her eyes and pointed to Emily. "What the hell were you thinking, taking him on by yourself? What if I hadn't run into James? You could have gotten hurt."

"He wouldn't have killed me."

"He only stopped when he did because he saw I was the red Ranger," Lauren growled.

Mike's muscles tensed up as Lauren spoke to Emily. He knew she was only angry with his wife because she had been worried and she cared, but Mike was too angry to think straight. He went to shove her again, but Lauren grabbed his wrists and flipped him. She dropped him on the ground and turned away from him, dismissing him like he meant nothing. If he was going to defy and disrespect her, she wouldn't waste her time with him. She had bigger things to worry about."

"We're going home to figure this out," she walked off to the house, leaving Mike behind.

Mike sat up in the dirt and watched Lauren leave with his team. He groaned and put his head in his hands. None of them had a reason to stay and make sure he was okay. He was acting like a jerk, but he couldn't stop. The pain was too much. He doubled over and sobbed into the dirt.

-Samurai-

Once they were back at the house, Lauren had assembled everyone, Ji included, in the common room. She knew what she needed to know about Xandred, but Dekker was a whole new story. His obsession with her brother and having the ultimate duel worried Lauren greatly.

"Jayden is safe, though," James assured Lauren, "He's at a motel, and Antonio's with him. He'll be taken care of and well protected."

"I want him to come home," Lauren said. "If he's out there then he's in danger. Jayden's put his entire life on hold just to protect me. I'm not going to let something happen to him just because I don't have my eyes on him."

"He won't come home. Antonio tried to convince him to come back and…"

"Did you?"

"If Antonio can't convince him, no one can," James shook his head sadly. "Jayden's stubborn. There's no changing his mind."

"I'll go talk to him…"

"No. You'll just drive him away, or you'll bring the Nighlok right to him," James said. He looked Lauren in the eyes, "I know it's hard, but…"

"It's hard? I've been dropping in the middle of this mess. I'm expected to lead a team of people I don't know, and now I'm expected to live with the thought of some crazy Nighlok going after my baby brother while I sit back and hope he's safe?"

"What if Antonio and I make sure he's safe?" Ji volunteered himself. He looked to Lauren, "It has been my duty to protect Jayden, and I still feel that is my responsibility. You and your father have trusted me until now."

James nodded his head, "That's a great idea. Ji and Antonio will make sure Jayden's safe, guaranteed. That leaves you to focus on leading this team."

"You're getting the hang of it," Serena smiled at Lauren. She lowered her head and sighed.

"I don't have your support."

"Of course you do," Mia reached out and put her hand on Lauren's shoulder, "I know we weren't supportive right away, but we're your friends. All of us…"

"Not Mike. Jayden… he had your respect and your trust. I feel like Mike's just getting farther and farther away from me… if he can even get any father. I'm not…"

"Lauren, Mike's got issues…"

"And Jayden knew how to handle them. Jayden was great at his job. Jayden was born to lead," Lauren looked over to Ji, "Please go keep him safe, and if you can, tell him he needs to come back. As for the rest of you… I'll be in the dojo. Let me know when you need the Sealing Symbol. I'll be ready."

With a sigh, Lauren got up and walked across the hall to the dojo. She closed the door and locked herself in, wanting to be alone for a while. Ji got up and looked to the dojo and then back to the Samurai.

"Please, take care of her," he asked them.

"Take care of Jayden," Kevin said. Ji nodded and then after being told where Jayden was hiding by James, he set off.

From his bedroom, Terran started to scream. James left to take care of him, leaving only Mia, Kevin, and Serena in the common room. They were all focused on the dojo, worried for Lauren.

"What are we going to do?" Mia asked.

"Hope and pray Emily can talk some sense into Mike," Kevin answered her.

-Samurai-

Back in the forest, Emily was the only one who had stayed behind with Mike but it didn't seem like he had noticed just yet. He was too busy crying and wallowing in his own pain and grief to notice her – and that wasn't just now. Though she had tried to talk to him on several occasions, all talks ended with no progress being made and Emily, forever optimistic, thought that maybe the next time he would open up a little more, or the time after that, or even after that.

He never did. Instead, he kept it all bottled up inside of him until it came bursting out. He couldn't control was came out of him and not only did he set himself up to get hurt, but he put others in his line of fire.

But enough was enough.

"She's dead."

Hearing her voice, Mike looked up and finally noticed her. He sat up in the dirt and wiped his eyes.

"Don't say that."

"As far as we're concerned, she's dead. Get over it."

"Get over it?" Mike looked deeply hurt, but that was okay. At least he was feeling something other than anger and hate. "Emily, how can you say that? She was our daughter!"

"And I miss her too. But Lauren's got nothing to do with what happened to Carrie, and you have no right to take it all out on her. What you did, what you said about her back at the house… you're turning into an asshole, Mike, and I didn't marry an asshole."

"It's not like I lied. She is…"

"A lesbian, I know. What difference does it make? Why did we need to know that? Lauren obviously wasn't ready to tell everyone. Do you have any idea how damaging it can be to out someone like that before they're ready? You could have ruined her, is that what you want? Would you be proud and happy with yourself if you had hurt her? Would you be the man Carrie would have called her father?"

"Don't you dare bring her into this," Mike growled and stood up. He tried to walk away but Emily grabbed him.

"You brought her into this. You need to forget about her, Mike."

"About our daughter? You want me to forget about my daughter?"

"When it comes to Lauren and the team, yes."

"Emily, she's gone!"

"And I miss her too."

"It's because of this stupid Samurai bullshit that we lost her! We've gone through hell and back for these Shiba liars, and they have the nerve to keep something this big from us? How the hell can you be okay with that?"

"It's because of this stupid Samurai bullshit that we met. It's because we've been through hell and back that we fell in love!" Emily shouted. "If it weren't for that liar bringing us together and asking us to fight by his side, we never would have met. Our Samurai lives have given us just as much as they've taken away from us, and we're lucky for that. Being a Samurai took everything away from Jayden and Lauren. Jayden never even talks about his mother, and we both know their dad fell in battle. Lauren and Jayden had been apart since they were children. They barely even know each other! At least we have our parents, and my sister, and all the other Samurai. We've got our families, we've got friends, and even though it's been tough, we've had a fun time. I wish Carrie could be here too, but she can't, and that's just… you're just going to have to accept that. Carrie's gone. We need to move on."

Tears streamed down Emily's face as she looked at Mike, pleading he take her words to heart. The green Ranger looked down at her, first in anger because she had been shouting at him, but then it looked like he was about to burst into tears again. Emily wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in a hug.

"It hurts me too, Mike. Sometimes I just want to hide and this Samurai thing feels like it means nothing, but I know I have to be strong. I don't want to be strong without you."

Mike gently rested his chin on top of Emily's head and sighed, "My heart feels like… there's something missing. When Carrie went through that portal, she took a piece of my heart with her and… I need that piece of my heart to live, Em."

"I know. I'm missing a piece too. I always will. We always will," Emily looked up, "We're never getting that piece back. Carrie's gone, but now we have Lauren. She's not our daughter, and she never will be. She's older than both of us but… she's family."

"Emily…"

"She's Jayden's sister. And if that's not enough, I haven't given up on Mentor and Kate just yet. If I have my way, she's going to be my cousin. Do you think, maybe, there's a little room in your broken heart to at least open yourself up to Lauren?"

"I miss her, Em. I miss her so much. I just can't… I don't know…"

"You don't have to," Emily whispered and hugged Mike tightly. "I feel it too. You're not alone so please with pizza on top, can you stop being such an ass?"

Mike kissed Emily's forehead, "Go home, Em. I'll be there in a minute."

"You don't have to be alone, Mike…"

"There's something I've got to do. I promise, I'll be right behind you. Ten minutes."

"Fine," Emily sighed. "Ten minutes or we're getting a divorce. Deal?"

"Deal," Mike nodded. He gave Emily one last kiss, promising he wouldn't be an ass anymore, and then watched her go. He shook his head, "I'm only lucky bastard."

"You're a lucky ass," Emily called back and Mike chuckled.

"I'm a lucky ass," he said and then he started off, following a path he had in his mind until he found a mount of roots, leaves, and branches. He uncovered it, digging up a bag. He opened it up, seeing everything was still inside.

"It's not much," he muttered and put the bag over his shoulder. He walked back to the house (fortunately in under ten minutes). When he walked in Mia, Kevin, and Serena were all staring at him angrily but Emily looked to him with a smile. He held up the bag.

"I'm going to apologize. I think Lauren deserves the first apology."

"Dojo," Serena pointed across the hall, and Mike could tell she was fighting her better judgement. She had been fiercely protective of Lauren and thought Mike was someone she needed to protect her from.

Mike tried to door to the dojo but found it was locked. It hadn't stopped him before. Symbol Power unlocked it for him and he stepped inside. A disk from the Lightzord almost took his head off.

"I deserved that," he said and looked to Lauren, seeing her glaring angrily at him, "I deserve that too."

He held out her back, "I'm bringing this back. I took your stuff, not that you noticed. That wasn't cool of me."

"You can drop it there," Lauren said coldly. Mike set the back down and he looked to Lauren.

"I've said and done a lot of things that we're cool," Mike said. "I guess at first it was okay to be a little upset but I crossed the line. I realize that now. I went out of my way to try and hurt you, just because I was hurting and that's never okay. I'm really sorry about what I've done and the things I said. Especially that last thing about you… you know…"

"You had no right."

"I know. I know. If I could take it back I would. I guess I'm just lucky that no one around here cares."

"Very lucky. I need their trust, Mike, and if that had changed the way any of them looked at me…"

"It wouldn't. I knew that for sure. No one here has any issue with the gay stuff. We never did, and we never will."

Lauren sighed and gestured to a spot on the mat, "Pick up a sword and stand here."

"You're not going to beat me up, are you?" Mike asked. "I know I was an ass and I deserve it, but don't you think this can wait until after we defeat Xandred and you don't need a green Ranger anymore."

"Are you saying you're so pathetic you can't even defend yourself?" Lauren asked him. "We're sparing. We're angry with each other and as long as you behave yourself, I don't see why we can't hit each other a couple of times. To be honest, I'm only allowing this because I know you'll be the only one getting hit."

"I guess that's fair," Mike nodded and he picked up a training sword, "So all's forgiven?"

Lauren smacked him with her sword. Mike jumped back, nursing his butt.

"OW!"

"Pathetic."

"Dude, I wasn't ready!"

"Dude?"

"OW! Can I at least get into position… OW! OW!"


	51. Jayden's Decision Sisters Plan Romance

Jayden held his head in his hands as he sat on the couch and tried to figure out what he needed to do. Ji had just arrived at the motel and was insisting he was going to stay by Jayden and Antonio. It was Lauren's request and there would be no driving him away. He explained to Jayden what had happened at the house, and what had been happening at the house, and finished with the most recent events. Dekker was calling him out.

"He'll go after all the others," Jayden looked up at Antonio and Ji. He didn't need them to say anything for him to know they were against the idea of him dueling Dekker. He sighed, "He wants me, and what else can I do? If I can keep Dekker busy, and maybe even destroy him, it'll lighten the burden for everyone. That'll be Serrator and Dekker both gone."

"What if you don't win?" Antonio asked and tried to show Jayden he wasn't worried because of a lack of faith, but because it was a possibility. Jayden was the greatest warrior he had ever seen, but even the greatest made mistakes. Against Dekker, a mistake could cost him his life.

Jayden took Antonio's hands and looked to him gently, "It has always been my duty to protect the world. As long as Dekker's still around, we're all in danger. I need to do this, Antonio. I want to do this."

"Can we at least wait a few days," Antonio said. "Mentor and I can help you train. We can make sure nothing's going to go wrong. I don't want to lose you."

Jayden nodded his head slowly and he gave Antonio a kiss, "A few days. Dekker's waited centuries so I guess a few more days won't kill him."

Antonio smiled softly and leaned into Jayden's arms, wanting to be close to his boyfriend. Being a Samurai was never easier, but this was one of the toughest times yet. Everything was coming to an end. Antonio could only hope he and his friends would be the winners, but there was no guarantee.

He quickly glanced over to Mentor who seemed equally worried.

"I will send a message to the others," he said as he pulled out a pen and paper from his kimono, causing Jayden and Antonio to laugh. Neither could remember a time where Ji hadn't been prepared. "I will let them know they need not worry about Dekker. He will be our responsibility."

-Samurai-

Mike held a bag of frozen peas against the side of his face and groaned miserably. Naturally, because he had been such an ass, he wasn't getting much help from the others.

He had apologized for his behaviour, swearing it would happen again and he was done with being an ass. He apologized for causing trouble, and he apologized for the way he behaved around Lauren and for the things he had said to her and about her. In time, the others would forgive him.

For now, they were still giving him what he deserved. As he sat at the couch and iced his face, Kevin and Mia plopped down and snatched the remote from his hands. Mia turned the channel to one of her bridal shows while Kevin juggled watching with his fiancée and reading a book.

"Isn't there training or something?" Mike grumbled as he sat up. "Shouldn't you guys…"

"Symbol training," Mia said. "Kevin and I finished early. Now, shh, this is the part where they start picking out dresses."

"You should see some of the designs," Kevin rolled his eyes, "They're ridiculous."

"Can we watch something a little more… action filled?"

"Nope. I have the remote," Mia said. Mike groaned and leaned back into the couch.

"I am never being an asshole again. Kevin, you can have your job back."

"Thanks, Mike, I app… hey!"

-Samurai-

In the dojo, Lauren and James were watching as Serena and Emily worked on Symbol Power. Serena didn't need it. After Serrator had forced her to split a mountain in two, her mastery of Symbol Power was near perfect. She was just as powerful as Lauren. So while Emily practice, Serena sat next to her to help. Both Lauren and James were suspicious about how much Symbol training and helping was actually going on.

"What are you two planning?"

"Nothing," Serena called back and glanced over her shoulder to smile at James, "I'm just explaining some stuff. No big deal. You guys can chill or something in the kitchen if…"

Lauren walked up behind the sisters and crossed her arms over her chest, "That Symbol isn't Earth related at all."

Serena ripped the paper down and Emily pouted. She had been working hard and was almost done. Now she would have to start again.

"Man…"

Lauren looked to Serena suspiciously, "Romance?"

"That's not what I asked you to write," Serena quickly turned the blame over to Emily, trying to cover up for their messing around. Lauren knew they were up to something, though.

"Focus, girls. You're not going to defeat Xandred with love."

"It's not all about Xandred," Emily looked up at Lauren. "Besides, aren't Nighlok, like… allergic to goodness and happiness and love?"

"No."

"Maybe they're allergic to… candle light dinner. Serena what's that in kanji?"

James chuckled and shook his head. He put his hand on Lauren's shoulder, "They're meddling."

Serena and Emily both gasped, pretended to be offended by James' accusation, "How dare you think we're meddling."

"Girls, Ji's not even around. He's taking care of Jayden. I doubt Kate's even on his mind," James took the paint brush from Emily's hand and put it back in its pot, "Ji's a big boy. He can take care of his own love life."

"But Kate doesn't get it," Emily pouted. "She'll still mad at him for keeping the secret, but she loves him. We all know that. They have to give it another shot."

"Kate said no," Lauren looked to the youngest Samurai. "I was there. She has no interest in…"

"Kate's very protective. She's just upset Ji put us all in danger. Once it sinks in that this was all for a good cause, she's going to want to take him back."

"Show me mountain," Lauren gestured to the easel. "You can meddle in Ji and Kate's love life after we've stopped Xandred for good."

Lauren walked out of the dojo, leaving the girls to finish up training on their own. James followed Lauren out so he could get started on dinner for the house.

Emily looked to her sister, "Were not stopping, are we?"

"Hell no," Serena shook her head and gently shoved Emily out of her seat, "I'll finish up here for you. You go call Aunt Kate and… pretend Dekker really got you good."

"You mean get her to come here?"

"Maybe she needs to see everything's fine here before she can forgive Ji," Serena nodded and shooed Emily, "Really cry. She won't see it, but she'll hear it. And be scared. Tell her… tell her… tell her Dekker threatened you. That if you or any of us try to mess up his ultimate duel with Jayden, he'll kill you."

"He will."

"So then it's not a lie. You're a horrible liar anyways."

Emily smiled and walked to the corner of the room. She sat down and dialled her aunt's number with the Samuraizer. It rang a couple of times before Kate picked up and Emily fabricated her partially true story about Dekker's latest attack. Serena, who was doing her best to mimic Emily's skill level with the Symbol Power training, had to stop and look over her shoulder when she heard her sister's story. She knew it was all just to get Kate to come to the Shiba House, but her heart broke. No matter how old Emily got, or how strong and independent she was, Serena still hated to hear her sister so scared and hurt. When the call ended, Serena got up and hugged her sister.

"What are you doing?"

"Shh, everything's going to be okay."

"Serena, I was just pretending… I…"

"Shh…"

"You're such a dork," Emily wiggled out of Serena's arms, "Now finish my homework for me while I go play with your baby. I'll see you at dinner."


	52. Auntie Lauren

After getting the call from Emily, Kate made it to the Shiba House in record time. Though the last person she wanted to see was Ji, Emily and Serena were still her top priority and she was at their beck and call no matter what. If they needed her she would be there.

She stormed into the Shiba House. Emily had called her on the phone in tears, begging she come over after a recent attack by Dekker had shaken her up. She insisted she couldn't talk to Serena or the other Samurai about it because she was scared it would only put them in danger.

"Emily?" she called and started to search the house, ignoring the strange looks from the other Samurai as they ate dinner together around the kitchen table. Lauren immediately turned to Emily and Serena and glared.

Emily got up from the table and rushed into her aunt's arms. Kate instantly noticed Emily was fine. The hug wasn't one of comfort, but of excitement.

"We need to talk," Emily smiled bright as she took her aunt's hand and walked her into the living room. She gestured to Lauren, "Meet our friend, Lauren."

Kate groaned loudly and rolled her eyes, "Emily, I swear to God…"

"You were supposed to be training," Lauren said.

Emily gave the red Ranger a smirk, "All my Symbols are done, aren't they?"

"Yeah, I guess, but…"

"Emily," Kate turned her niece around and looked at her, "I came here because you said it was important. You said you were hurt."

"I almost was," Emily answered her aunt and looked to her pleadingly, "Aunt Kate, I know Mentor screwed up. I know…"

"You have no idea, Emily. This is none of your business. Butt out."

"Kate…"

Kate ignored Emily as she turned to leave the house. The yellow Ranger chased after her aunt and grabbed her arm, pulling her back.

"Please just listen. We were all mad at first, but Mentor only did what he thought was best."

"What if Jayden had died in this war?" Kate asked. "He was put in harm's way…"

"For a good reason," Kevin spoke up. "Lauren needed time to perfect the Sealing Symbol. Xandred almost kicked our ass last time he turned up. You have no idea how terrifying that was."

"Imagine getting your butt kicked by a raisin," Emily nodded.

Kevin continued, "We get it now. It's not a perfect plan, but Lauren needed to be protected, and the only person who could do that was Jayden. There was no one else who could be the red Ranger in her absence."

"Besides, aren't you kind of doing the same thing with Serena and me?" Emily asked. "We're out there fighting every day. Lauren's cool and…"

"But keeping it a secret? How many times have you almost died…?"

"We wouldn't have treated Jayden any differently," Mike spoke up, taking sides with his team and with Lauren. He too had been upset by the secret, but he had recently learned the secret hadn't just hurt him and his friends. It had hurt Lauren, it had hurt Jayden, and it had even hurt Ji, "The guy is one of our best friends. All those hits I took for him. All those danger missions he dragged us into… I'd have still followed him even if I knew he was a fake because… well, because he's not. Don't get me wrong, the need for it to be such a big secret still goes over my head, but my dad didn't raise me to be Jayden's green Ranger. He raised me to be the green Ranger. He raised me to defend the world."

Kate ran her fingers through her hair and groaned, "Okay, but…"

"You're mad at him for putting Jayden in danger?" Emily asked.

Kate shook her head, "That part I get… I guess. It's the whole lie. It's the way he did it. Imagine how Jayden must have felt as a kid, knowing his only purpose in life was to protect his big sister."

Lauren looked down to her plate in shame. It was her biggest regret. Though the decision hadn't been hers, and if she had had a choice she would have taken her little brother with her, she still felt responsible for everything Jayden had been put through. He had just been a boy when the duty of protecting her fell on his shoulders, and he had spent his entire life training just to take her place temporarily. The responsibility of being the red Ranger was never his. His whole life had never been his. Though Lauren's life had been tough, at least it had been her life and her calling she had trained for.

"Mentor knows he could have done better with Jayden," Emily said. "Don't you think that's an issue between Jayden and Mentor, though? You're telling Serena and me to butt out, but you're sticking your nose where it doesn't belong."

Kate looked to Emily almost in horror. When it was put that way, it did kind of seem like Kate was meddling. Jayden wasn't a little boy. He could speak for himself. If he didn't like the way Mentor had raised him, he had a right and a voice to say so himself. Kate didn't need to support it, but it wasn't right to fight Jayden's battle for him.

"I have a headache," she muttered. Emily smiled brightly.

"We know you love Mentor. Can't you give him a second shot?"

"Where is he?"

"He's… He's… I don't know," Emily shrugged her shoulders. Kate groaned in frustration.

"You bring me all the way here to get me to make up with Ji, and he's not even home?"

"He's protecting Jayden," James said. "When Jayden decides he wants to come back, Ji will come back too."

"Which gives you a few days to set up a nice romantic dinner for you and Mentor," Emily grinned. "You know, to apologize for blowing up at him."

"Do you ever stop meddling?"

"Nope."

-Samurai-

It had been several hours since dinner. Kate had decided to stay and wait at the Shiba House for Ji to come home and was getting settled in Ji's old room.

Lauren, meanwhile, had spent the rest of the evening in the dojo, training intensely.

She found she was slowly coming together with the team. She cared for them and it seemed they cared for her. Leading the team was still a little tough, and Lauren found herself feeling out of place when she was barking orders at them or telling them they needed to work on their Symbol Power or their technique in battles, but they were doing their part to help her ease into her position.

While it was easier to be a part of a team she cared for, she felt the weight of her responsibility get heavier and heavier. Before she had arrived at the Shiba House she had known that the lives of the other Samurai would be in her hands, but the burden wasn't as bad when they were no names and they had no faces. Though it was cold and cruel, sacrificing one of her teammates was a possibility in battle, and it would be easier to make that call if she didn't care about the Samurai. Unfortunately, but fortunately, she did. She was starting to care for each and every one of them.

Serena was her best friend. She had been the first one Lauren had met, and the first person ever to reach out to Lauren as a person. She had been the first person Lauren felt comfortable opening up to, and the first person who had made Lauren feel like she had somewhere she belonged. Lauren could never express her gratitude. There were no words and no gestures she could make that would describe just how thankful she was for Serena. Though the relationship was a little tricky on Lauren's end (crushes didn't just vanish overnight), she couldn't imagine a life without Serena. If anything were to happen to the white Ranger, Lauren wasn't sure how she would move on.

Mike, though he had only just started cutting Lauren some slack, was still inching his way into her heart. When she had heart that his anger came from the death of his daughter, he had tugged on a few of her heartstrings. She knew what it was like to lose a family member. Jayden was still alive, but she hadn't seen him since she had been a little girl. Until recently, there had been no contact. He was as good as dead to her for most of her life. She also remembered the day she got the news of her father's death and how she still carried that pain with her everywhere she went. And while she only had a very faint memories of her mother, she still missed her mother dearly and found herself crying alone in the middle of the night for her mother to come and comfort her – to protect her. She would have preferred it if Mike had vented his anger some other way, like she had been taught to do, but she understood why he had done what he had done. Truth be told, she was a little jealous he got to act out, and once everything blew over and they could start fresh, Lauren knew they could be good friends. Mike seemed like a fun person to hang out with.

Kevin was proving to be very loyal. He followed Lauren's direction without question and without being asked he offered Lauren tips on how training was supposed to go. She saw him studying or training almost all the time, and in the odd times she found him relaxing, he was still disciplined and true to his Samurai spirit. He was wound up a little tight, which earned him a bit of teasing from the others, but sometimes Lauren would see him let go. He knew how to have fun. He knew how to balance work with play. Lauren wished she could be like him – though she would never admit that to the others. They would tease her endlessly for wishing she could be like Kevin.

Mia was a little harder for Lauren to crack. She was quiet and reserved, but she did have a temper when she needed one. Already Lauren had heard her breaking up fights within the team. She seemed to spend a lot of her time keeping everyone together and keeping the peace. Lauren had also noticed she was very motherly, especially with Mike and Emily. She kept her eye on them almost constantly, she took care of them, when they needed someone, she was always there to help. Lauren wanted that. It came from her missing her mother. She wanted someone like Mia to look after her.

Serena had said Emily had the biggest heart, and at first Lauren didn't believe her. Emily was Serena's sister, so Lauren thought the white Ranger was a little biased. But the more time Lauren spent with and around Emily, the more she saw it was true. After the initial shock of Lauren's arrival and the reveal of the big secret had blown over, Emily had quickly taking Lauren in as a friend, and already Lauren had overheard some of Emily's conversations where she referred to Lauren as part of the family. Lauren never had a family before and had always wanted one. She had dreamed of it many times and hearing Emily's words, listening to her thoughts on the future made Lauren believe her dreams would come true. She was settling into a team that truly cared about _her_. She was becoming a part of the family.

She couldn't put her family in danger. She couldn't screw up. She couldn't lose any of them.

"BA!"

She jumped. She had asked for privacy and the rest of the house had promised to respect her wishes. No one should have been bothering her. She turned to see who had ignored her and didn't see anyone. She rolled her eyes. She had been informed Mike was a prankster.

She went back to her training, smacking a Xandred look-a-like dummy with her sword until she heard it again.

"BA!"

"Mike!"

"BA!"

The noise was coming from under her. She looked down and saw Terran, Serena's son, had somehow snuck into the dojo. Lauren knew he was around. She knew he lived at the Shiba House with Serena and James, but she had never taken the time to get to know him. He was just a baby. She didn't know what to do with babies.

With his blanket, Terran hit the Xandred dummy, "BA!"

"A blanket's not going to cut it, kid," Lauren said, "Don't stand there. You could get hurt."

Terran looked up at her in fascination for just a brief moment and then he looked back at the Xandred dummy and giggled. Lauren rolled her eyes.

"C'mon, you shouldn't be in here. Its training. Get out of the way, you're going to get hurt."

Terran turned to her. The corner of his blanket was now in his mouth and he lifted his arms up in the air. Lauren rolled her eyes.

"You don't understand a word I'm saying, do you?"

Terran walked closer to Lauren and hugged her legs, "Baba."

"Aw, he likes you," Emily smiled as she stood in the doorway and then looked to Lauren apologetically, "Sorry, little monster got away from me. It's bedtime. One more story and then…"

Emily trailed off and looked to Lauren with a grin, "Do you have to train now, or do you want to read his bedtime story? It'll just be five minutes, and it's better to have this little guy on your side. It drives the guys nuts."

"I… uh…"

"Just five minutes, I promise," Emily took Lauren's hand and looked to Terran excitedly, "You would like that, wouldn't you, Terran? It'll be fun having Auntie Lauren read you a bedtime story tonight."

"Auntie… Auntie Lauren?"

"You can be Uncle Lauren if you want," Emily shrugged, "I don't judge. I prefer Auntie, personally."

"No, yeah, of course I just… yeah, a bedtime story sounds fun. So what do we read? A passage from the ancient scrolls or…"

"Ancient scrolls? Uh, I was thinking something more along the lines of 'Puppy's Day in the Big City'."

"Like, a children's book?"

"He is a baby," Emily nodded. "I think you'll like it. It's all about being somewhere new and making the best of it by exploring and having fun. He visits the post office, sits through a meeting, plays with some nice kids at the bark, and the he goes back home to his nice warm bed."

"So it has nothing to do with Samurai?"

"Uh… I don't think Puppy fights evil in this story. I could have read it wrong… Puppy lives in a very friendly world. There's not even any dog catchers who try to take him to the pound."

"So that's a no to the Samurai stuff? No lessons about training to be a better Samurai. No code of honour or…"

"The dog goes into a city. Do you want to read with Terran or not?"

"I'm definitely reading this book. I'll have to see it to believe it."

As Lauren started making her way to Terran's bedroom, Emily looked to her nephew and sighed.

"Auntie Lauren's pretty weird, isn't she?"

"BA!"

"What do you know? That's your answer to everything."


	53. Three, Two, One

Dekker wandered through the forest only, knowing the days were numbered until he would finally get his ultimate duel. He had resisted Urumasa and his curse for this long and had even outlasted the monster that turned him into a cursed warrior. All that was left was to put an end to his own life and he hoped the red Ranger would be just the man for the job.

Or the woman. Dekker had long ago sensed there had been something troubling the red Ranger and now he knew it was true. The red Ranger, all along, hadn't been the true red Ranger. A woman stood in his place now and she was powerful. Dekker hadn't faced her yet but he was pondering whether or not he wanted to. If she was the true red Ranger, it was possible she was also his true opponent. He would have to find out. At the very least, the first red Ranger, his current target, would be a good warm up. Should he fail, there was now someone else who would likely get the job done.

Immortality had not been kind to Dekker. It had provided him with several lifetimes of hardships. He was keen to see it end.

However, there was something holding him back. He wanted his misery to end, but he had a son, a son he desperately wanted to see. Even for just a while.

Dekker's walk through the woods led him close enough to the Shiba House so he could see it without being detected by their Gap Sensors. He had wandered this forest for so long now he knew exactly where he was safe to stand. He knew where the Gap Sensors wouldn't pick up on his Nighlok energy. He watched the house, wishing he could do inside. Wishing he could take his little boy in his arms and hold him.

Another thing immortality had never done for him: it had never blessed him with a family.

"Your father does love you, Terran," Dekker whispered. He sat down, keeping his eyes on the house. He had nothing to lose by hanging around. The Rangers were likely in bed, unaware of his presence on Earth.

-Samurai-

"James," Serena whispered, waving her fiancé over to the table in the common room. The Samurai were all in bed, resting after a busy day, and Serena and James had taken it upon themselves to shut the house down for the night by inspecting the locks on the doors and windows, turning off the lights and making sure Storm went for her last pee until morning.

"What is it?" James asked but his question was answered when he looked down. Serena had brought up the map. Though the Gap Sensor hadn't gone off, there was a signal. It was not a threat yet, but they knew who the signal belonged to. Just his name was dangerous, so James didn't utter it. He looked to Serena, "What's he doing?"

Serena shrugged her shoulders and had a look out the window. She couldn't see Dekker through the fence, and he was too far away, and the sky was too dark, but she knew he was out there. He was close enough to appear on the map, but far enough not to ring the alarms. Serena, however, was slightly worried. She always was when Dekker was nearby. He had hurt her, he had gone after her family, threatened her son, and most recently he had learned Lauren secrets.

Trouble. Dekker was Trouble.

She knew him well, though. She put away the map for now, "Not attacking. I don't think we have to worry."

"Are you sure?"

"We're safe here anyways," Serena nodded, "And as long as he's here, he's not anywhere near Jayden, Antonio, and Ji, right?"

"Right."

"So it's for the best," Serena said. She took James' hand and walked with him to their room, "Let him watch us."

James smiled. He opened the bedroom door and noticed the lamp by the bed was still turned on. Terran was fast asleep in his crib, as he should be, but Emily was passed out on the bed. Lauren was still wide awake, surrounded by children's book. Many of them covered the bed and Emily, and some were even on the floor around the bed. Lauren was reading through all of them with a look of pure fascination on her face.

"What are you doing up?" James chuckled as he started cleaning up the books from the floor by putting them back on the bookshelf. Serena took care of the books on the bed and on Emily.

"So many different adventures," Lauren raced through another book and tossed it aside, "There's a whole world of fun books. All this time, I was told books were just for studying! Have I been lied to?"

"Not exactly," Serena giggled. She pulled the book from Lauren's hands, "Why don't you slow down a bit? At this rate, it looks like you'll get through every book for ages zero to four in a matter of days."

"Puppies, ponies, little girls, little boys, the big wide world, games, lessons, and toys!"

"You've read way too many books at once," James laughed, "I think it's time for bed, Lauren. You can start a book club with Terran tomorrow."

"One more," Lauren pleaded, "Please, just one…"

"You've pooped Emily out," Serena gestured to her sister, "Do you know how rarely it happens that someone poops her out? I promise, you can read to Terran tomorrow night. James and I are tired and we would like our bed and Terran's books back."

Lauren sighed and crawled off the bed, "I guess it is late. I'll have to be up early to catch up on the training I missed tonight anyways."

"There's the Lauren we know," Serena smiled. "Mind taking my sister with you?"

Lauren nodded her head and gently shook Emily from her sleep, "Bedtime."

"Goodnight," Emily muttered and buried her face to go back to sleep. Lauren pulled her up to her feet and walked out of the room with her. James turned to Serena as she pulled down the blankets on the bed.

"Once this Samurai stuff is over, we really need to get Lauren out of the house."

"I can only imagine she's a lot like Jayden when the others first met him," Serena said. "It must feel kind of cool knowing there's a whole world out there waiting to be discovered. Scary, but cool."

"Scary? Serena, she's the red Ranger. She's the one who's going to stand against _the _Master Xandred: king of the Nighlok. She's going to save the entire planet from chaos and destruction. What about our world can be so scary?"

"Some of our scariest moments have come from real life issues," Serena said. "Nighlok injuries are curable by kicking ass. Spells, kidnappings, all that stuff always has the same solution. We defeat the Nighlok. Real life issues don't always work out right in the end."

"They have so far."

Serena smiled, "I guess Lauren's got a pretty exciting future to look forward to."

"We all do," James crawled into bed with Serena and took her in his arms, "You and I have a wedding to plan. I promised Terran I wouldn't put it off."

"You promised a baby…?"

"Older Terran. In his world, my only regret was that you weren't my wife."

Serena looked to her engagement ring with a big, bright grin on her face, "I feel like I am," she looked back up at James, cupping his face in her hands gently, "Things are about to get real intense."

"Are you talking about Dekker?" James tried to look out the window but Serena held his face, keeping his gaze on her.

"You will always be the man I gave my life to," Serena gave James a kiss and then got comfortable in his arms.

James smiled and kissed the top of her head. He wouldn't say it out loud but though he was happy, thrilled even to hear those words, he was a little spooked. Dekker was just outside the Shiba grounds. Dayu was looming somewhere. She was always near Dekker. Octoroo was constantly scheming, and Xandred was due to come back from the bottom of the Sanzu River any day now. Though Serena wasn't officially a Samurai Ranger, she had the power to fight, and the hard head that would push her to fight until the very end.

He hugged her a little closer. He had always known this day would come. The days were numbered.


	54. From The Sidelines

James nervously kept his eyes on the TV as the news covered what they could of the battle between the Rangers and the Nighlok. It was Lauren's first official battle as the red Ranger and the leader of the team, and it was James' first battle knowing this was the end. Helpless on this side of the screen, James could do nothing but watch and pray as his strong, fearless wife risked her life for the good of the Earth. While everyone was optimistic now that Lauren had arrived and the end of Xandred and the Nighlok was near, James couldn't help but worry the final battle between the Nighlok and the humans would be epic and he risked losing the love of his life.

Kate was also watching but her attention was divided between playing with Terran and the battle. Still, she smiled as she looked to the screen, "Lauren's kicking butt."

"She is good," James nodded. It was an understatement. Lauren was amazing. All the hard work and the lifetime of secrecy and training was paying off. The Nighlok had proven himself to be a tough opponent, but Lauren was one step ahead of him, and with the team's support she knocked out his first life without breaking much of a sweat. As the Nighlok grew into a living sky scraper, the Megazord came together and James breathed out a little sigh of relief. Serena didn't have a Zord and she would have to sit out. As long as she avoided being crushed by giant feet, she was safe.

"Someone's a little worked up," Kate said. "James, relax will you? The Rangers are just as good as they were when Jayden was around. They've really come together."

"Sorry," James shook his head, "I'm just… thinking."

"Don't think too hard."

James nodded slowly and then looked over to Kate, "You were friends with Serena's mom when she was the yellow Ranger, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Where you ever worried? Like, more than usual? Lauren's here and that's great but that means… that means it's almost time. She's going to seal Xandred away, but he's not going down without a fight. I mean, last time he managed to kill one of them. What if…"

"James, you're worried for nothing. The Sealing Symbol was incomplete last time. The Rangers were fighting a losing battle. Lauren's mastered it now. It's our war to lose."

"You know these things don't go smoothly," James shook his head. He gestured out the window, "Dekker knows about Lauren. What are the odds he's spoken to Octoroo or Xandred already and they know. If they come after Lauren, if they catch her off guard…"

"Lauren? Off guard? James…"

"Weirder things have happened," James said. "Dekker's signal was coming from near the house. Not close enough, but still. He's got something planned in that twisted head of his and he's got a nasty habit of freaking us out. What if he tries something? What if something happens? What if… What if Xandred's stronger than we thing? You didn't see it, Kate, when he came back, he took out the team like they meant nothing. No one could match him."

"Everything's going to be fine," Kate promised and placed her hand on James' leg while she helped Terran figure out which block fit in which hole in his game and turned to the TV. "See, look, they just defeated the Nighlok's second life. We've got this James, we've…"

"What the hell is that?" James cried as he leaned forward and was literally watching the battle from the edge of his seat. He had seen it. The Rangers had defeated the Nighlok in his mega form. The Nighlok should have exploded and disappeared for good, never to be seen again. Instead, a large, cloudy, dark, snake like creature burst out from what was left of the Nighlok and snapped at the Megazord. The Map on the table was going crazy as the alarms from all five of the Rangers in the Megazord went off, indicating they were losing power dangerously quick. James bit his nails. Serena wasn't in the Megazord, but the rest of his family was. He didn't want to see anything happen to any of them.

Even Kate, who had been confident only seconds ago, hugged Terran close to her chest and watched anxiously. It seemed James was right, anything still could happen and the Nighlok weren't about to roll over and die. If they did know about Lauren, then they had nothing to lose and would no longer hesitate to give their final battles everything. There was no point holding back if would seal them forever or even destroy them.

But the Samurai did pull it off. Quick thinking on their part, and a more powerful Megazord formation took care of the third Nighlok life and destroyed him for good. Kate and James felt their stomachs turn as they waited for a fourth surprise. Fortunately, none came.

"It's worst this time," Kate whispered as she looked to James. "Ellie was my best friend. I loved her dearly and can't lose her, but the girls… I helped raise them."

James nodded his head slowly. She had always understood the final battle would be a rough time for them, but it seemed the weight of the danger was finally coming down on her. James would have to watch his wife, his sister in-law, and the rest of his beloved Samurai family through themselves in harm's way, unsure of whether they would win or not, and even if they did win, there was no promise they would all survive to see it. Jayden's father had temporarily won the war, earning his children enough time to complete his plan in his place, but it had cost him his life. Kate would have to watch her nieces and the rest of the Samurai, whom she had grown to love as well since her arrival in the Shiba House, as they battled the most vicious monster ever to walk the Earth or the Netherworld.

"We don't shake their confidence," Kate looked to James, fear in her eyes. "They… they're going to need it. They're going to need everything if they stand a chance against Xandred."

James agreed and tried to gain back a bit of his and Kate's confidence, "Besides, Lauren's a smart girl. She… she wouldn't say she could end the war for good if she didn't think she could. The odds are in our favour. We're just… we're worried for… for nothing."

He got up from his seat and asked Kate to keep her eye on Terran for the next little while.

"Where are you going?" she asked him.

"I don't want any regrets," James answered. "Not that… not that anything's going to happen but… you know… it's never good to have regrets."


	55. The Red Ranger's Battles

Dekker marched through the woods, feeling this was the day. Whether the red Ranger wanted to fight or not, he would not be given a choice. Urumasa was hungry for a fight, hungrier than ever before. Dekker followed the lead of the sword knowing that he would be taken to Jayden.

And Urumasa did not disappoint. Stepping out from behind the trees was the red Ranger, unmorphed but with his Spin Sword in his hands. The two warriors looked each other in the eyes, neither one wanting to break contact.

"You've come."

Jayden nodded his but never took his eyes off Dekker, "I heard you attacked my friends. Your days of hunting them down are over!"

"You speak with confidence. I can sense you are just as eager for this duel as I am."

"Eager to get it over with," Jayden morphed and stood at the ready.

Dekker smirked, "It is only fair to warn you, I will no longer be playing nice. This is a fight to the end."

Jayden launched himself forward for the first attack, swinging his sword with passion that expressed itself in the flames that burst from the blade. They did add a little bite to his attacks when he struck Dekker, but for the most part the Nighlok form of his opponent seemed unaffected by the fire. Jayden would have to weaken his further.

"This is a battle you want to win," Dekker said, hoping to put a little more fire underneath his opponent. He didn't just want a challenge. He wanted the biggest possible challenge any warrior had ever faced. He wanted to feel the threat of death. He wanted to be scared for his life. He wanted to fear losing. "If you cannot free me from my curse, I will continue to live as you lay helplessly where you stand, unable to ever defend your friends again. I have settled for you, but there are better opponents out there. Stronger. If you cannot do this, I will challenge the red Ranger…"

As he mentioned those words Jayden grew stronger. Dekker knew exactly how to push his buttons. With a swipe, he knocked Dekker to the ground.

Dekker got up before Jayden could strike him again and smirked, "But first, I will take some time off," he thought a loud because he knew it would anger Jayden, and he knew it would push him to fight with even more power. "Visit my son, perhaps take some time to ensure that after my death, at the hands of your new Ranger, most likely, he will be the one to continue my legacy. A second powerful warrior. A second Dekker. Can you imagine that?"

Jayden did and the thought terrified him. He knew Dekker was just saying anything to piss him off, but he couldn't stop himself from worrying Dekker's words might be true. After all, if Dekker won, it wasn't like Jayden would be around to change his mind. This was a fight to the death.

The thought of a second Dekker roaming the Earth distracted Jayden for a moment and Dekker caught him off guard. A swipe to the chest knocked Jayden off his feet as he flew back into a tree. Though he was the one with the fire, Dekker's attack had burned and it had left a stinging feeling in his chest. As he struggled to get up to his feet he looked to Dekker.

"You're fighting with an ally? Two on one?"

Dekker looked to Urumasa and nodded, "This is Urumasa's battle. I am simply the hand that wields her."

Jayden knew it was unfair, but he couldn't say he hadn't seen this coming. Dekker had always spoken about Urumasa making him crave for a duel. In a way, the sword was alive. He felt stupid for not seeing the two on one match before.

He got to his feet and reached to his belt, "Then you won't mind if I…" he grasped at nothing, having forgotten for a moment that all his power-ups and all his weapons had been passed over to Lauren so she could lead the team and effectively keep his friends and the world safe. Jayden was on his own.

-Samurai-

At the motel, Antonio sat on the bed with his head in his hands. Jayden had left to seek a battle with Dekker and Antonio was worried this was it. Jayden needed to fight to rid the world of the threat of Dekker once and for all, but that was just it. Dekker was a threat. Even Jayden, the greatest warrior Antonio had ever seen, had a hard time taking on Dekker.

Ji was also worried as he worked around the motel to keep himself busy. With Jayden out on his mission to finally see an end to Dekker, they weren't going to need to stay away in hiding any longer. A battle between the Samurai and the Nighlok had ensued, and Lauren had made her presence very clear to the Nighlok. No longer would they want to hunt Jayden down. No longer would they see him as anything more than just a regular civilian. It was Lauren who was the real threat. Once Jayden defeated Dekker, if he could pull it off, he would be a free man, ready to live his life however he wanted to live it. He could move forward in his relationship with Antonio and truly get to the bottom of his feelings. Maybe they would start a family. Though Ji was worried, a little smile crept up on his face as he thought of Jayden finally settling down with the man he loved. Nothing made Ji happier than knowing Jayden was happy.

All this was only if Jayden could defeat Dekker.

"Are we ready?" Ji asked. He had everything packed and ready to leave. They weren't sure where they were going to go. Jayden promised he would come and find them once the duel was over. They couldn't go home to the Shiba House just yet, worried Jayden wouldn't be able to face the others just yet. He had left for a reason and wouldn't be coming back until it was his decision.

"Can we, maybe, just check up on Jayden?" Antonio looked up to Ji, begging the man at least consider his request. "Just so we know how he's doing."

Ji made it look like he hesitated before answering, but the same thought had been on his mind. He needed to see how Jayden was doing, just to calm his nerves.

Hopefully to calm his nerves.

-Samurai-

"A third life," Kevin breathed as he and the Ranger returned home to the Shiba House looking more than a little battered and bruised but for the most part they were fine. They had all walked home, and the injuries sustained from fighting all three of the most recent Nighlok's lives weren't too much for a little rest to fix up.

"We still beat him," Mike said and then he turned to Lauren, "You were great out there. You're no Jayden but you're definitely an awesome leader."

"Coming from you, that means a lot," Lauren smiled.

"Guys, aren't you missing something?" Kevin asked as he looked around at his teammates. "That Nighlok didn't die when he was supposed to. He had a third life!"

"It is weird," Mia nodded. "I don't think any Nighlok's been given three lives before. Do you think this is a new thing?"

"You guys can start talking about that," Lauren said as she started for her room, "I'll catch up with you later. There's something I need to do first."

"Do you need any help with it?" Serena offered but Lauren shook her head.

"It's a little personal. I'll be back shortly."

The Samurai nodded their heads and as they gathered in the common room, Lauren set off for her room. She closed the door behind her and walked to her bed. She took a seat at the foot and looked down at her shaking hands.

She had done great. The Nighlok had been strong, and he had given the Samurai all a reason to be scared at some point, even if it was just for a moment, but they had come together and they had defeated him not once, and not even twice, but three times. Lauren and her teammates had come back with nothing more than superficial scars that would heal on their own in time. They had survived her first battle as leader.

But Lauren had not been trained for any of that. She had been told she would lead a team, but her training had consisted mostly of independent work. She had fought for her own survival and she had been trained to think of her own safety. She had no fears about her own life in battle. She was ready for anything that would come her way.

Now she had a whole team relying on her. Though she had done well, the pressure was a lot. She had watched each of her teammates – her friends – get struck down, get blasted, and get hurt. It pained her to know she had let that happen. She had let them get hurt. She didn't want them getting hurt. She didn't want their lives in her hands, terrified she would screw up.

When the Nighlok had come back with its third life it had been the most terrifying moment for Lauren. She had been taken by surprise, caught off guard, and the Zords had taken a beating because of it. The team had taken a beating. They had been tossed around the cockpit, slammed into the walls and the consoles, knocked off their feet. It had been brutal.

Lauren wiped away a tear from her cheek. Too much pressure. The Sealing Symbol, the red Ranger powers, the duty to lead the team, the friendships, the family, it was all too much for her to handle.

Suddenly there was a knock on her door. As it begin to open, Lauren wiped her eyes, hoping to hide the fact that she had been about to cry. Mike poked his head into the room and looked to her.

"Hey, Lauren, we were wondering if you knew anything about the Nighlok sharing lives and stuff?"

"Uh… Uh, yeah. I know a bit. Why?"

"Well, Kevin was thinking and… is everything okay?"

"Yeah," Lauren stood up and straightened herself up, "I'm just, I just needed to…"

Mike walked into the room and had a closer look at Lauren. Her eyes were shining and red and she was stammering as she spoke. He knew those signs and rubbed the back of his neck, "Look, I know I gave you a hard time at first and I said some pretty nasty things but… You did great today, Lauren. I really mean that. It wasn't easy but you really pulled through. We couldn't have won that one without you."

"It's just… you guys got hurt and…"

"We never come back unharmed," Mike assured her. "It's just a fact of the Samurai life. We're going to get hurt."

"I could have done more. I should have used the Black Box earlier. I should have jumped in first. I should have…"

"Lauren, if you were perfect there wouldn't be any other Samurai," Mike smiled. He shrugged her shoulders, "You did your best today. That's all we expect from you. You protect us, we'll protect you. If someone gets hurt, that's just a part of the job. It's okay."

Seeing she was still upset, Mike pulled her in for a hug. Lauren didn't know how to respond at first but eventually she returned the gestured. Mike smiled and then pulled away.

"Feeling better?"

"A little."

"So, you said you know something about life sharing? Nighloks don't have three lives, right?"

"It's a sound theory," Lauren nodded her head and walked with Mike to the common room. "I'll tell you what I know. We'll see if we can make sense of what happened."


	56. For Real

Jayden's duel with Dekker seemed to have no end. With nothing to distract either of them, and adrenaline and determination helping them push through the fatigue of a long combat, there was no stopping them. Every once in a while one would take the advantage, delivering a few powerful blows to the opponent, but they would eventually lose steam, or even lose focus, and the other would turn the tables, scoring a hit that would put them back in control of the battle. Back and forth, back and forth.

Dekker knew he had done well in choosing Jayden. He was a worthy opponent. Even if he couldn't finally put an end to Dekker's curse, this battle would be remembered as one of Dekker's greatest.

A little ways off, Ji and Antonio were approaching the scene of the duel, curious as to how it was playing out. Jayden was off the map and there was no way to check up on him unless they saw how his battle was going with their own eyes. Ducking behind a tree, they peeked over.

They had very little intention of interfering, especially if they caught Jayden in control of the fight, but they had arrived at a time where Jayden was on the defensive, doing as little as possible (which was still quite a bit in the heated duel) to catch him breath and regain his energy. Antonio bit his lip in worry and clutched his hand tightly around a low branch of the tree. He wanted to cut in and protect his boyfriend. Dekker simply wanted to be destroyed and anyone could do it. But to truly end the curse, to ensure he would never be back, a true warrior needed to take him out. Antonio had to suppress his instinct to aid with every fibre of his body, and he hoped it would be a decision he would regret in the future.

Ji couldn't ignore his instincts. Seeing Jayden was at risk of losing he had to jump in. He had no sword, no weapon of any kind, and no armour. Back at the Shiba House he had a Samuraizer, but even that wouldn't allow him to morph into a Ranger and aside from a few light symbols, it wouldn't offer any protection. Still, Jayden's life was worth more to him than his own, so Ji jumped in the way, guarding his son with his own vulnerable body.

Both Jayden and Dekker came to a standstill, shocked by the new presence in their duel.

"Ji, what are you doing?"

Ji wasn't sure, so he lied, "Buying you time. You'll never win in your condition."

He wasn't wrong. This standstill did allow Jayden a better opportunity to catch his breath and clears his thoughts. Still, Jayden could do without the added risk of Ji getting hurt.

Dekker held up Urumasa, "I will go through you, old man. Step aside. This is not your battle."

"You wanted a challenge, I'll give you one. If you want Jayden, you'll have to defeat me first."

"Ji, no," Jayden grabbed Ji's shoulder and tried to push him away, "Don't do this. I'm fine! Go home. The others still need you."

"There is no home without you," Ji quickly glanced over his shoulder to look at Jayden and offered him a smile.

"I've had enough of this," Dekker said and charged towards Jayden and Ji. Though it was Ji who wanted to protect Jayden, Jayden was the one to take the hit from Dekker, shielding Ji with his own body. The duel had taken place in the forest right near the edge of the cliffs, and with the back and forth between Jayden and Dekker, they had ended up right at the edge. When Jayden took the hit from Dekker, not only did he power down, but he and Ji were both launched over the side of the cliff. The fall was high enough to kill them both.

"NO!" Antonio shouted as he jumped out of hiding from behind Dekker and struck the half-Nighlok across the back. Even in his Nighlok form, Dekker felt the painful blow and blood seeped through his skin. He fell to his knees and Antonio could have defeated him then and there but he had more pressing matters to take care of. He rushed to the side of the cliff to check up on Ji and Jayden, praying neither of them were dead. "Jayden! I'm coming!"

He saw a path that would safely lead him down and ran as fast as his legs would carry him, leaving a wounded Dekker behind. The half Nighlok stumbled to his feet and staggered off to a gap with a smile on his face.

The duel certainly was a challenge.

-Samurai-

In the Shiba House, in his bedroom, James paced back and forth. The Rangers were in the common room, trying to figure out where the Nighlok had obtained a third life, and if it was a onetime occurrence, or if the Nighlok were going to continue being that strong. James didn't really care either way. Of course, he didn't want the Nighlok to be getting stronger, but the risk was already so high that one more life didn't make much of a difference.

From his crib, where he was somewhat playing with his toys, Terran watched his father go around the room frantically setting up… Terran wasn't quite sure. All he knew was that his father was freaking out.

Suddenly, his father lifted him from the crib and laid him down on the bed. Thinking it was bath time, Terran started to giggle and coo as his father undressed him. Then, to Terran's disappointment, he was redressed into clothes that were a little more restricting. He pouted, letting his father know he wasn't happy with this change.

"I know, buddy," James lifted the boy into his arms and gave him a reassuring hug, "but it's for the best, I promise."

James set Terran down on the floor and gave him a little box to play with. He had had that box with him for a while. His parents, after coming to terms with the entire life James had lived without them, had given James their blessing to marry Serena by sending him over a special gift. It was their way of welcoming Serena into their family and their way of telling James how proud they were of him and his new life.

"Be careful with that, little monkey," James chuckled, seeing Terran had stuck the box in his mouth to examine it, "Mommy won't be happy if you break that."

"Break what?" the door slid open and Serena walked in, completely oblivious to the cleanliness of the room and the fact that her fiancé and her little man were both dressed nicely.

"Nothing," James shook his head, "Have you guys figured out that third life yet?"

"We're not sure of anything," Serena walked straight to the bed and sat down, clearly still exhausted from the battle, "but we're going to be ready next time in case it happens again. Lauren's got a few ideas and…"

She trailed off as she finally noticed the room and her two dressed up men. She looked to James, "Is it my birthday?"

"No," James chuckled and shook his head, "I just… You know how… it's… Serena, I'm really worried."

"James," Serena stood up and took his hands in hers, "Everything's fine. That last battle was just a minor setback. It's nothing to…"

"A minor setback can kill you, Serena."

"I wasn't even in the Megazord."

James shook his head, "I don't want to lose you."

"You're not. I promise."

"You can't keep that promise. Not… not unless… I want to… I want… I know it's… You deserve… I…"

"Spit it out, Smith. I'm tired and…"

"Will you marry me?" James looked her right in the eyes. At first Serena thought he was kidding with the proposal. He had already asked and she had already answered yes. He didn't need to confirm her answer. The only reason they hadn't had the wedding already was because Serena wanted to make sure she could have a wedding and a honeymoon without interference. Mike and Emily had gotten lucky. Trying to cram another one in before Xandred's destruction was really pushing the luck.

Then she saw he wasn't kidding at all. He was completely serious. This wasn't another proposal. It was a wedding.

"Here and now?" she asked and looked around, "There's no minister. Unless you've got Mia hiding in a closet or something…"

"I don't need it to be official. We can do that later," James shook his head. "All I know is that I love you. I can't even bear to think of losing you, and the only way I can make sure I don't is if you agree to be my wife. Nothing will ever take that away from us. This is real for me, Serena, and if you agree, I want this to be our wedding. Our real wedding."

"You're so serious. You… you really want this?"

James nodded his head. His eyes started to water and Serena could feel his hands were shaking. She smiled, "Then I do."

"R-Really?"

"Of course," Serena chuckled and pulled James in for a soft kiss.

He hugged her close, unable to believe this was really happening. A year ago, he didn't even know her. A year ago, he never thought he would ever find a wife, never mind actually marry a woman so beautiful and amazing. He broke the kiss but kept her in his arms. She was his forever.

"Uh, James. Do you do too?"

"Huh?"

"I said I do. You need to say it too. Marriage isn't a one way street."

"I do," he smiled happily. "I love you so much."

As he said that, he remembered Terran and the box he had given him. He took it from Terran as Serena watched and opened it, revealing two wedding bands. He slipped the first on her finger and she did the same for him with the second.

In their hearts, it was official.

"Mia's going to freak out," Serena giggled and then hugged James tightly.


	57. Big Problems

Antonio reached the bottom of the cliff and had a look around, desperately hoping to find Jayden and Ji alive, at least. Dekker's last attack had knocked them both over the edge, and the fall was high enough to kill them both. Antonio's heart pounded in his chest in panic as he searched the area they should have landed.

"Ji! Ji!" he heard Jayden's voice and followed it until he reached a small pond. Jayden, batter, bruised, and bloodied, was kneeling over what looked to be an unconscious Ji. Though many of Jayden's wounds were from the battle, it was obvious he had sustained many more from the fall alone. He was bleeding heavily, and though he was already close to the ground, he looked like he wanted to get closer – like he was going to fall right over.

But he was alive. Antonio rushed over to him and fell next to his boyfriend, taking him in his arms a little too tightly. Jayden hissed in pain and Antonio let go.

"You're okay," Antonio said. Jayden shook his head and focused his attention on Ji, praying the older man would wake up or show any signs of life. While Jayden had taken the brunt of the landing, he hadn't been able to shield Ji completely. Both had fallen from the cliff. Both had gotten hurt.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Jayden's attention was on Ji, but his temper flared against Antonio. The gold Ranger was sure Jayden had hit his head in the landing, if not long before in the battle with Dekker. Jayden wasn't well and he wasn't thinking straight and he was bound to lose his temper and get angry quickly. "You shouldn't be here! Look what happened! This is my battle!"

"Jayden, I'm sorry," Antonio tried to help his boyfriend to his feet, "We were just coming to check up on you. We were worried."

"You shouldn't have," Jayden pulled away from Antonio but was too tired and too injured to stand on his own. He dropped straight to the ground.

"Jayden, please," Antonio helped him up again, "I don't know where Dekker is, but surely he's not too far behind. Let me help. You're in no condition to fight."

"No thanks to you."

"Please, Jayden. You can yell at me once we're somewhere a little safer. I'll… I'll get you ready for a round two, I promise."

Though Jayden couldn't even stand on his own, he tried to carry Ji in his arms. Antonio helped, and took most, if not all of Ji's weight. The older man was unconscious and likely down for the count.

"We won't interfere again, I promise," Antonio looked to Jayden, "Just let me help you now."

Without a choice, because he was too hurt to do anything for himself, Jayden accepted Antonio's help. The gold Ranger was practically carrying Ji (though dragged was a better description) and was letting Jayden lean on him. With two men to support, Antonio struggled to find somewhere safe to hide out until Jayden was feeling better.

He found a cave not too far off and dragged the red Ranger and the mentor inside. He laid them both down gently and from his bag he pulled out a few supplies Ji had packed. Fortunately, Ji was always prepared.

"I could have won," Jayden said as Antonio wiped the blood from his face. Jayden's eyes were starting to droop. Exhaust and his injuries were finally taking their toll on him. Soon, he would be out of it, just like Ji.

"I know," Antonio nodded, "I have every faith you could. I'm just scared. I can't help it. We were both worried. You're going to win; I'm just scared you're also going to get hurt. We have to be real, Dekker's tough."

Jayden nodded his head slowly and then suddenly fell forward, into Antonio's arms and down for the count. Antonio hugged his boyfriend and then set him down gently.

"Okay… okay, don't sweat it, Antonio," he said to himself as he looked to the two injured bodies before him, "Just pretend you're a really good doctor. What would a really good doctor do… with only first aid supplies and no hospital nearby."

-Samurai-

Serena woke up the morning after her surprise wedding and felt better than she ever had before. Not only did she consider herself finally married – finally a wife – but she was married to an amazing man. She still couldn't believe James, and her idea of him hadn't changed. He was still unbelievable. He was Mr. Unbelievable. She nestled into his arms as he still slept and smiled.

She knew why he had married her. Of course it was out of love, which went without saying. He never would have stuck by her for this long and through all her crap if he didn't love her. He never would have surprised her with a wedding if he didn't love her. He was scared of losing her, though, and he wanted her to hold a spot in his life that was truly very special. She was his wife. No one could ever take that away from them. Where it truly counted, they were married.

Now she was really in his heart, in a place where he would never have to worry about her suddenly disappearing. Even if this war did kill her, she would always live on with him. That immortality in James' life felt good, but the wedding also benefited her in a way. Of course she loved him, but this marriage did something else for her. Though she was strong, fit, and healthy, the threat of the Nighlok meant that at any time she could be dead. Just like when she had been sick, she was still on death's door, waiting for the invitation to head inside and leave this world behind.

This time, though, she wasn't going to die alone. Her heart was so filled up with love. Her parents were still around and they continued to love her and support her. Emily had never left her side. She had a son who every day looked up at her with the most innocent and precious love she had ever felt, and now she had a husband – a man who loved her just as much as she loved him.

Her life was complete. Even if the Nighlok won, she could die with a little bit of happiness in her heart. No one could ever take that from her.

Suddenly, James planted a kiss on the top of her head, "Morning, Mrs. Smith."

Serena smiled and looked up at him, "I love you."

"I love you too," James replied and then turned to the clock, "Is Terran still asleep? Is he actually sleeping in?"

"A wedding present," Serena smiled. She reached up, giving James a kiss and then she crawled out of bed, "You stay there. You planned an entire wedding. The least I can do in return is make you a special breakfast."

"Sounds amazing," James said. "But are you sure you don't need help in the kitchen? We can rub it in to the others that now we're the newlyweds of the house and we're so in love and…"

"Actually, I was thinking what if we don't tell them," Serena smirked. "At least, not right away. I want to play a game."

"Sounds interesting," James said up, "Tell."

"I'm not keeping this from my sister. After I kept Jayden's secret from her, I feel like I kind of owe her. But she's not going to be allowed to tell anyone."

"Ooh."

"We'll build it up," Serena smirked, "I'll get her all excited about it, tell her the big news and then swear her to secrecy," Serena walked over to the bed, stealing another kiss from James, "It'll drive her crazy. That's my present to you."

"Breakfast and watching you annoy the Monster? You're already treating me like a king. What did I ever do to deserve you?"

Serena beamed brightly and then walked out of the room. She headed for the kitchen, feeling her whole body was warm from the night before. As she passed the dojo, she heard voices from inside. It seemed the others were training and – like Terran – they had allowed her to sleep in. Serena continued into the kitchen and as she got started on making James' favourite, she head a scream from the dojo. Dropping her bowl, she ran in to see what had happened.

"Who's hurt?" she asked and then looked around, seeing only Lauren in the dojo. The red Ranger held her hand to her forehead and shook her head in annoyance.

"Mike, I told you to aim carefully!"

"Mike?" Serena looked around, "Lauren, is everything okay?"

"You tell me," Lauren pointed to the floor. Serena looked down and saw four very teeny tiny Rangers. She knelt down to get a better look.

"You didn't…"

"I was teaching Mike a Symbol he could use to shrink Nighlok," Lauren said. "After that last one surprised us with a third life, I thought it best we plan for bigger, stronger Nighlok."

Serena giggled, "They're four inches tall."

"We're going to have to wait for this to wear off," Lauren growled. She knelt down and glared at the tiny green Ranger, "And you better pray no Nighlok decide to attack until you're back to full size."

Mike looked down at his shoes – his teeny tiny shoes, "Sorry…"

Emily glanced at each of her friends, "Why is everyone four inches tall but me?"

"Because you're my little sister," Serena smirked as she gently picked Emily up and put her in the palm of her hand. "My teeny, tiny baby sister; who I need to talk to."

"Now? I'm training."

"Em, I can crush you with my foot. I think training's over until you grow. Besides, it's important."

Serena held her sister gently in her hand and stood up. Emily's eyes widened as the ground got farther and farther from her feet. She held on tightly to her sister's finger.

"D-Don't drop me."

Kevin, meanwhile, walked over to his Samuraizer, which was now much too big for him to carry, never mind use.

"Way to go, Mike."

"I said sorry…"


	58. Jayden's Biggest Ally

Jayden woke up feeling like his entire body was dead. All his muscles were crying uncle and he wished desperately to fall back into a state of nothingness, where the pain would just disappear.

He opened his eyes to a rocky sky as the events leading up to him passing out came back to him. He remembered the duel with Dekker, where Ji had cut in, and he remembered falling from a cliff and using his body as a shield to try and keep Ji from taking the brunt of the impact. He hadn't been able to protect Ji completely, but if the older man was still alive, it was thanks to Jayden.

"Hey," a soft voice whispered to Jayden and he sat up and had a look around. He was in a cave, which explained the rocky sky, and Ji was lying next to him, pretty banged up, but the rise and fall of his chest signalled he was still alive. Looking over to the other side, Jayden saw Antonio tending to a fire.

"You shouldn't have come after me," Jayden growled as his anger returned. Antonio and Ji especially had put their lives in danger needlessly to check up on him. They had cost him the duel against Dekker. Jayden saw no point in winning if the duel cost him his second father as well as his boyfriend.

"I know. I know," Antonio nodded his head and pushed a cooked fish closer to Jayden, "I'm sorry. We were just so scared of losing you."

"And how do you think I would feel if I had lost you?" Jayden asked.

"I wasn't going to intervene," Antonio said. "I mean, I wanted to. I want to protect you, Jay, but I was going to let you fight. It was Mentor who…"

"You came here with him. What if Dekker had gone after you?"

"Why are you always doing this, Jay? Why can you never be protected?"

"This is my fight. I won't let anyone get hurt."

"And I don't want you getting hurt," Antonio looked right at Jayden, begging him to open up just a little bit, "I feel for you the very same way you feel for me. I don't care about Dekker. I don't care what he wants. Whether he has to go through you, or you and me, as long as you win this fight, it doesn't matter. As long as you win. As long as you survive. I can't live without you, Jay. I don't think either of us can."

Antonio gestured over to Ji with a sad look, "I think he'll be okay. He took a pretty big hit for you."

"A hit he shouldn't have taken," Jayden sulked.

Antonio rolled his eyes, "Jayden, Mentor jumped in front of a murderous Nighlok, completely unarmed, just to protect you. He threw his life on the line for yours. That's how much you mean to him. Sure, it was stupid, but can you really be mad at him for that? Look, Jay, I love you. I'd give up everything for you. But at the end of the day, I was hiding behind a tree when Dekker attacked. Mentor was the one who actively tried to save your life."

Antonio pushed the fish even closer to Jayden, "I won't stop you from going after Dekker. He needs to be destroyed. Dammit, I'll say it, you need to kill him. But if you think, for a second, that I'm not going to worry about you until I'm sure you'll survive this fight, then you have a serious reality check waiting for you. If I need to, I will jump in. For now, I'm going fishing. You're going to need energy when Dekker comes back. And if you even think about running off on your own, then after I help you kill Dekker, I'll kill you myself. I mean it."

As Antonio walked off angrily to catch some more fish, Jayden groaned and held his head in his hand. Antonio was completely right, but the idea of losing someone who meant so much to him terrified him more than a duel to the death with Dekker.

He had trusted his team, and he had trusted Antonio before and his team and Antonio had never done him wrong. If Urumasa could fight with Dekker as an ally, Jayden knew he would need someone else on his side. Without the Black Box, or any of his weapons and power ups, Dekker did already have one advantage.

Dekker wanted a challenge. He wanted the ultimate duel. That was exactly what he was going to get. Nothing could motivate Jayden more than the need to protect the world except the need to protect his team. There couldn't possibly be a better way to offer Dekker the most challenging battle of his life, than a battle where Jayden's love of his life was in immediate danger.

It was a huge risk, but one Antonio was clearly willing to make. When the gold Ranger came back with a couple of fish, Jayden looked right at him with a hint of a smile.

"It would be an honour to have you fighting by my side."

"You mean it?" Antonio asked, a little surprized it had come to this. He had imagined Jayden agreeing to him staying in the shadows and only coming out when things looked bleak. Now it looked like he would be marching into battle alongside the red Ranger.

"I mean it. You've never let me down before, Antonio. Just promise me…"

"We'll win this," Antonio nodded. He then gestured to Ji, "About him…"

"I have an idea," Jayden smirked. He wiped out his Samuraizer and traced a Symbol. Antonio chuckled as a bonsai appeared in thin air, only to drop and break once it hit the ground. It took a few moments, but Ji did open his eyes.

"Another… one…?"

Both Rangers leaned over their mentor with bright smiles on their faces. Ji looked to each of them and then around the cave, "What… where are we? How did we get here?"

He suddenly started to sit up, clutching his ribs and groaning in pain as he did. He looked around frantically, "The other Rangers…"

"Are fine," Jayden assured him. "I'm in the middle of a duel with Dekker."

Ji nodded his head. Jayden's words sounded familiar. He couldn't quite place them yet, but figured that was because of whatever had caused the monster of a headache he was feeling.

"I'll help both of you get your strength up," Antonio promised and went back to the fire to grill up another fish.


	59. Tiny Troubles

After being served breakfast in bed by Serena, James came into the kitchen to put his dishes away. Serena was sitting by the counter, chatting seemingly to herself and whispering softly about the wedding he had surprised her with. As James walked to the sink he looked around, thinking it strange Serena was talking to herself.

Then he saw what he thought was an action figure standing on the counter and smiled as he picked it up, "New toy? Wow, it's so lifelike. This is part of the Power Ranger toys, right? That's kind of weird; it looks a lot like…"

"Put me down!" Emily shouted and punched James' finger with her tiny fists. James, startled, dropped her back on the counter and then jumped back.

"Whoa, what the…"

"Symbol Power mishap," Serena explained and chuckled as she walked to the freezer and grabbed the frozen bag of peas. James had dropped Emily from quite a height considering her size. "Em, Kevin, Mia, and Mike are all teeny tiny. You might want to watch where you step."

James smiled and then realized he had walked across the house. He lifted his feet one at a time, making sure he hadn't accidentally stepped on a Ranger. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his feet were clean.

"Can't you just undo the symbol?"

"Not really" Serena opened the bag in her hands. She gave Emily a single pea, knowing that was all her tiny sister needed, "This is one of the Symbols were the power wears off after a while. It's suitable for battles, where you don't need to waste too much energy and don't plan on needing the extra power for too long."

"In other words," Emily muttered as she held the pea to her head, "We're all stuck and meanwhile you're off marrying my sister."

"You told her," James smirked. Serena nodded her head.

"Tiny Emily is funny when she's shocked. It was entertaining."

"You promised I would be the maid of honour!" Emily pouted. "You promised I would have a huge part in your wedding. You promised I would be there."

"You will be," Serena assured her sister, "James and I are still going to have a ceremony. You'll do everything I promised you could do."

"Like speak now?"

"No," Serena shook her head and then gently kissed the top of her sister's… well, of her sister. "I'm going to go shower. James, think you could take Storm and Terran for a walk?"

"I guess I have to," James chuckled and with his finger he ruffled Emily's hair, "Good luck, sis."

"I hate you. I hope Storm pees all over your shoes."

"You love me," James teased her as both he and Serena walked away. Emily dropped her pea and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I invited you to my wedding!" she shouted and then realized she was alone, trapped on top of the counter. She walked to the edge and looked down. It was a long way. When she hit the ground, she would be a pancake. Her fear of heights crept up on her and she slowly backed away.

"Lauren? Kate? Someone! Help!"

She didn't need to wait long before Lauren walked in, with Mike and Mia sitting on her shoulders.

"Where's Serena?"

"She ditched me," Emily muttered as she stepped up on Lauren's open hand and held on tightly to the bracelet around her wrist as Lauren walked back to the dojo. She was gently set on the floor, where Kevin, with help from Kate, was setting up what looked to be a miniature bedroom for the miniature Samurai.

"Damn, I wish I hadn't shrunk myself," Mike muttered from on top of Lauren's left shoulder. "I would totally play Godzilla with all this mini stuff."

"This is our room until we're back to normal size," Kevin called up to Mike, "Unless you want to sleep on the floor, this is the best we've got."

"I'll go get lunch started," Lauren said. "If you need help with the room, just ask."

"It's like playing with a doll house," Kate smirked and gently laid down a thin piece of fabric over the doll bed Kevin had conjured up with his Symbol Power. "I think I can manage rearranging furniture on my own."

Lauren nodded her head, and with Mike and Mia still on her shoulders (just so she knew where all the tiny Samurai were so she didn't accidentally kill one of them with her foot) she walked back to the kitchen to get started on lunch for the house.

She started preparing the meals and Mike, on her left, stuck out his tongue as he watched her pull out nothing by healthy ingredients from the fridge. Though green was his favourite colour, he did not want to eat a plate full of it.

"You eat like Kevin. You know, there's a reason we don't let him loose in the kitchen much," Mike muttered. Mia, from Lauren's right shoulder, leaned forward to look across at Mike.

"You know, you could do with a few healthy meals. Sooner or later we're going to come face to face with Xandred again, and pizza and burgers are only going to slow you down."

"C'mon, eating delicious food once in a while won't hurt. Lauren, I saw something that looked amazing online the other day. Poutine."

"What?" Lauren turned her head slightly towards Mike, "What the hell is that?"

"Mike, that sounds disgusting," Mia shook her head.

Mike protested, "Dudes, c'mon, it's fries, cheese curds and gravy! What's not to love about that?"

"Everything," Mia rolled her eyes. "Lauren, don't listen to Mike. There's a reason we don't let _him_ loose in the kitchen."

"C'mon, Lauren, a part of joining the Shiba House is opening yourself up to new things."

"All poutine is going to do is clog up your arteries and lead you to a premature death."

"That's how you know it's good! Lauren, you've got to learn to live a little. Do it, do it…"

"I don't know about Mike, but I think I speak for the rest of the house when I say I'd like to not have survived the war against the Nighlok for this long, only to die because of a greasy, sloppy meal," Mia said.

Lauren sighed and started chopping up some lettuce for the salad, "I hope this Symbol wears off soon…"


	60. The End Of An Era

Jayden wasn't in the perfect condition for a battle, but he felt strong enough. Antonio had agreed to fight by his side, and he knew that would be a huge help in ensuring his victory against Dekker.

It was morning, and Jayden kept his breath at a slow and steady pace, silencing it as much as possible as he wandered through the forest. Ji was back at the cave, safe and sound for now, and Antonio was stalking around the forest keeping his eyes on Jayden. The former red Ranger, already morphed, listened carefully for any signs of Dekker's approach. Though he was expecting the Nighlok to pop up, he was still somewhat startled when he spotted Dekker waiting for him in a small clearing.

Jayden felt a little better about odds despite still feeling a little sore. Dekker also looked somewhat hurt. Antonio had said that he had struck Dekker across the back, injuring him quite a bit.

"Round two," Dekker said as he felt into position, ready for the continuation of his ultimate duel. "This time, we won't be interrupted."

-Samurai-

Even though he was small, Kevin's Samurai spirit was still very tall, and he was up early in the morning to train. The others were still asleep in their little beds in the dojo, so Kevin tried not to make too much noise.

All the equipment was too big for him, and way to high up for him to reach anyways, but with a little help from his Samuraizer, he had made a punching bag that was his size and now had something to beat into. It was better than nothing and would help pass the time while he waited for Mike's mishap Symbol to wear off. Being small was a huge pain in the butt.

Over in her bed, Emily was also awake, but she hadn't let Kevin know that yet. Judging by the snoring, Mike was still asleep, and Mia lay so still in bed Emily was sure she was also still asleep. It was just her and Kevin awake.

And Kevin distracted with his training, leaving Emily with her thoughts.

Her sister had told her about the surprise wedding and had sworn Emily to secrecy – just to mess with her. While Emily was genuinely happy for her sister and her now-brother in-law, a part of her was scared. She knew why James had surprised Serena with an unofficial-official wedding. It was the very same reason Emily and Mike were now married. He didn't want to lose her. He wanted to take advantage of every moment he had left with her; terrified any moment could be their last.

It was a legitimate worry. Lauren's arrival screamed final battle. There was no doubt in anyone's minds that Xandred would be coming back soon, and the Rangers were going to be forced into the biggest battle they had ever fought. Serrator had been a tough opponent. Dekker, wherever he was, had been a tough opponent, but Xandred was Master of the Nighlok for a reason. He was _the_ toughest opponent.

Emily had been through some hard times in her life. She had faced great challenges that had pushed her to the very edge of her strength. All through her life she had been bullied. Classmates would tease her, pick on her, shove her, sometimes they would even lightly beat her up, leaving her to head home and lie to her parents (but never to Serena) about the new bruises. She came to the Shiba House, and the bullying hadn't stopped, only now the bullies were the Nighlok, and Emily was confident enough to face them because she finally had friends.

Friends she couldn't let Xandred destroy.

She had a big family now, too. Her friends she considered her new family because she had been living with them, and only them, for two years now. Her "real" family had also grown since coming to the Shiba House. Serena now had a son, Emily's nephew. The yellow Ranger loved her little Terran do death, and had already proven several times she would do anything to keep him safe, or even see him smile.

Serena was also now married, forcing Emily to consider James as a real brother – not that she hadn't already. It was one of the reasons she gave him a hard time.

She had a huge family now, and she couldn't let Xandred take that from her either.

She was also married. No one would have ever thought little Emily, the class punching bag, the shy crybaby, the unconfident klutz would ever fall in love, never mind have someone fall in love with her. Mike had, in spite of everything, and he was so amazing Emily couldn't even bear to think of Xandred taking him away.

She nestled into his arms, trembling slightly. From this point on, anything could happen. She could lose one of her teammates – one of her family. She even risked losing them all. It wasn't like it hadn't happened before, where an entire team had fallen in battle save for one. Emily didn't know much about Samurai history, but that thought had always scared her. What if she was the only one left?

It could happen. It was most likely going to happen to her, if it did. Everyone would take a hit for her. It was both a perk, and a horrible downside to being the little sister. No one wanted to see her getting hurt. She had come to terms with that long ago. She knew now that it didn't mean the others saw her as weak. It was just instinct from them.

Mike's arms were comforting, though she could do without his snoring, but Emily crawled out of bed and joined Kevin in his homemade little dojo.

"Toothpicks," she told him. "They aren't exactly swords, but they'll do."

"I didn't think of that," Kevin smiled and he and Emily set off on their journey to the kitchen to get toothpicks.

-Samurai-

From a distance, Antonio watched the duel between Jayden and Dekker, knowing it was almost time for him to step up. Dekker had surprised Jayden by fighting alongside Urumasa, forcing a two on one battle. It was Jayden's turn for a little surprise.

Antonio cringed as metal met metal, and the clashing sound of the swords rang loudly through the forest. He wanted desperately to jump in, but if he came in too early, just like if he came in too late, he would put the entire battle at risk, giving Dekker an opportunity to win and to defeat two Samurai Rangers at once. Though Antonio couldn't bear the thought of losing Jayden, and had made it clear that no matter what he would stand by Jayden, he knew he had also made a promise to his teammates back at the Shiba House. He had fought with them, too. He had joined their team. It was only fair he help them, and fight with them once Xandred turned up.

His stomach turned as Dekker landed a few strikes, but Jayden hung in, feeling he had nothing to lose. Antonio knew he this and he knew it well. Jayden felt like his sister's arrival had taken everything from him. He was no longer the red Ranger, and no longer had the weight of the world on his shoulders. His Samurai life, being the temporary red Ranger, had been everything to him and now it was gone. He didn't have a life to go back to except for the one he would make with Antonio once this was over – and that depended on this battle.

Jayden had made it clear to Antonio he felt he had no life to lose. In spite of the blood seeping through his suit, he pushed on, fighting with every bit of strength he had left, and then some, refusing to let this fight be the thing that tore him and Antonio away from each other.

He had nothing to lose. At the same time, he needed to win this fight.

In the duel, Jayden felt the stinging pain of all his wounds, but they only gave him more strength. In the corner of his eye he saw the spot Antonio was supposed to be hiding. The gold Ranger had covered himself up well. Dekker had no idea he was around, positive this was just a duel between him and his sword, and Jayden.

It was almost time. Jayden could sense it. Too win, Jayden would have to lose. He struck Dekker several times with everything he had, and then purposely by accident he opened himself up to be hit. Dekker took full advantage and knocked Jayden off his feet. Jayden crawled back, having purposely accidentally dropped his sword he was now completely defenceless and at Dekker's mercy. This would mark the end of the duel altogether. Dekker smirked but there was also an air of sadness. While he fought to win, he wanted to lose.

Silent, but quick, Antonio jumped out from where he was hiding as Dekker prepared the final strike. Just before Dekker could pierce Urumasa through Jayden, stabbing him with a lethal wound, Antonio jammed his Barracuda Blade into Dekker's back, making sure to hit the wound he had inflicted before just to immobilise Dekker even more with pain.

And it worked. Dekker dropped Urumasa and Jayden kicked it away. He quickly got back to his feet, scooped up his Spin Sword and put in everything he had left. He struck Dekker with his flaming blade.

The whole clearing suddenly set fire, trapping Dekker, Jayden, and Antonio in the flames. Dekker cried out in agony as Antonio removed the blade from his back, allowing him to bleed to death from the wound inflicted in his back and on his chest, only if the flames didn't burn him dead first.

Jayden had little strength left, but getting out from the middle of the fire was a good idea. Getting out with Antonio was even better. Jayden could make himself immune to his own flames and did so with the little Symbol Power he had left, and then walked out of the flames, shielding Antonio as much as possible.

Setting the clearing on fire had been intentional, so Jayden had confined the flames to only the area. He and Antonio found a spot on the ground outside the large bonfire and waited slowly for the flames to die down.

There was nothing left. Everything had burned. Everything but Urumasa. With help from Antonio, Jayden walked to the sword and picked it up.

Nothing came from Urumasa. No voice screaming inside either of their heads for a new master to take Dekker's place. No powerful energy that threatened to kill them by will alone. Urumasa was now just a sword.

"So, we really did it," Antonio asked, turning to Jayden with a smile. "We… we broke the curse. There is no more Dekker. He's… he's gone?"

Jayden didn't answer. Instead he pulled Antonio in for a kiss, dropping Urumasa at both their feet.


	61. That Home Feeling

Lauren woke up in the morning with a light feeling in her stomach. She had trained for her whole life, and as a result she had acquired a few special powers that helped her stay strong and focused, and that allowed her to keep her guard up at all necessary times. It was something like a personal Gap Sensor, built right inside of her. If a Nighlok, like powerful like Xandred, or even a little less, was within fighting distance, she could pick up on their energy.

When powerful Nighlok were destroyed, she could also somewhat sense it. It wasn't a completely reliable sensor, just something that she had developed after years of harnessing her own power, and mastering her own abilities, as well as staying on top of all the information gathered about the Nighlok.

Still, she had that feeling now. A weight had been lifted. After getting ready for training, Lauren detoured to the common room to check the map.

It had been a long time since Jayden had left, and though Lauren worried for his safety and wellbeing every minute, and though she wanted to go after him, she had to stay back. Ji had recently informed her and the Samurai that their focus was on Xandred and any Nighlok that came out to attack the city, and Jayden would take on Dekker, keeping him away from the Rangers and possibly destroying it.

Was it possible her baby brother had won? Had he, on his own, defeated a Nighlok so powerful Lauren could sense when he was destroyed? She checked the map to be sure and saw a couple of signals approaching the house. Forgetting about her training for a moment, she rushed to the door and raced out of the house, catching Antonio, Jayden, and Ji just as they walked into the yard.

"Jayden!" she cried out happily as she snatched her brother away from Antonio and pulled him in for a hug. Antonio didn't mind his boyfriend being stolen from him. He had to help both Ji and Jayden walk all the way back to the house, and the less weight on his shoulders, the better.

Jayden, obviously, was very exhausted, and barely able to stand on his own. Lauren could feel him leaning heavily on her as they hugged. She wrapped his arm around her shoulder and walked him back into the house.

Kate, Serena, and James were awake and out of their rooms at this point. They had seen the map and knew Jayden and Antonio's signals were at the door, so they waited excitedly in the common room. The glee of their friends' return dimmed slightly when they saw the state they were in, but they quickly got to work treating them and welcoming them back home.

Kate's first instinct was to check up on Ji and make sure he was okay. She wasn't sure what had happened to him until Antonio explained he had defended Jayden against Dekker and fallen from a cliff. Kate looked down at Ji sadly and took his hand in hers gently.

"I'm sorry I doubted you," she whispered and leaned down to kiss him. He looked up at her, slightly confused.

"When did you doubt me?" he asked her.

Antonio looked nervously to Kate, "I… uh, I think he fell on his head."

Naturally, hearing this worried Kate, but though he was hurt, Ji continued to smile and he kept his eyes on Kate, looking to her lovingly. It seemed he had forgotten about their fight, about her accusations that he had done a poor job raising Jayden. Kate wanted to be able to apologize and earn Ji's forgiveness the right way, but she had to admit, this was a lot easier.

"You're an amazing man, Ji," she touched his face and smiled back at him, "It's why I love you."

Ji's smile brightened a little more, "I… I love you too."

"I'm going to help you feel better," Kate promised. She gave Ji another kiss before getting up and rushed to her room to get the first aid supplies. Ji watched her leave with a smile, loving how she could make him feel brand new despite his current state.

"That's how you do it, Mentor," Antonio smirked and gave Ji a very light, very gentle punch to the shoulder. "You're a natural with the ladies."

On the other stool, Lauren was fussing over Jayden. On one hand she was delighted he was home, on the other, she was furious he had left. When he had gone, he had been hurt, and he had left without saying a word to her or the others. She knew she had taken his place, and she knew there could have only been one red Ranger on the team, but she had come to the Shiba House to defeat Xandred once and for all and to be back with her little brother, the only family she had left in this world.

Jayden knew his sister wasn't happy with him so he let her take care of him, without muttering a word until he noticed something on her face.

"You look just like mom when you're angry."

"You wouldn't remember her," Lauren glared at him. "You were just a baby when…"

"I've seen picture. Ji used to talk about her all the time. I feel like I know her a bit."

"What the hell were you thinking, Jayden," Lauren wrapped the bandage around his ribs tightly on purpose to let him know her anger wouldn't simply disappear because he had brought up their mother, "You were hurt. You were alone. The Nighlok still though you were me. You could have gotten yourself killed!"

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry? You think that's it? You think all it's going to take is a quick apology and…"

"Lauren, I have no reason to stay. You're here now. You're the leader of the team. I'm not the true red Ranger. I'm not…"

"You're my brother."

"The team doesn't need me."

Lauren stopped what she was doing, looked into Jayden's eyes, and then dropped what was in her hands. Angrily, she stormed out of the room, slamming every door as she walked to her bedroom.

Antonio, Serena, and James looked to Jayden questioningly before Serena raced off after Lauren. Antonio wasn't sure what to do, having spent very little time with Lauren.

James looked to Jayden in disappointment, "Seriously, Jayden? I get siblings fight, but you only just got home…"

"It doesn't matter," Jayden finished wrapping up his own bandages and then stood up. He looked to Antonio and then to James, "It's not like I can stay. It's too dangerous for all of you if I do. The duty of red Ranger belongs to Lauren now…"

"So you're just going to leave again? After everything, you're just going to leave us all again."

"I don't have a place here," Jayden said. "I know the Nighlok know about Lauren now. And Dekker's gone so I don't have anything to worry about."

"Dekker's gone?" James asked and then he shook his head, "No, that's not the point right now. How dare you say you have nothing to worry about? Have these past two years meant nothing to you? Does your sister mean nothing to you?"

"I'm not cutting any of you out of my life. After you defeat Xandred…"

"And what if they can't? What if this is it, Jayden. You'll hate yourself forever if you leave now and something happens to one of them, or all of them. You belong here. Isn't this the Shiba House? Aren't you still Jayden Shiba?"

Jayden looked down at his hands. James put his hand on his shoulder, "You may not be the red Ranger anymore, but you do still have a place on this team. Don't ever forget where your home is."

James gestured to the kitchen, "Lauren and Serena are pretty close. She'll calm your sister down and then you can talk to her. Believe me, there's nothing worse than a furious older sister. Kate's going to keep an eye on Ji, so why don't we watch the Samurai mini duel in the kitchen?"

"The mini duel?" Jayden asked and both he and Antonio looked to James curiously. He nodded his head and led them to the kitchen, where the four tiny Rangers were still training and sparing on the counter.

"Whoa, cool toys!" Antonio picked Mike up to get a better look, "It's so life-like."

"Dude, put me down! I was kicking Kevin's butt!"

Antonio gently set Mike down and looked to James with wide eyes. The older man chuckled.

"Yeah, I did that with Emily at first too," he said. "We had a little mishap with the Symbol Power, and it's taking its sweet time wearing off. Not that I mind."

"Whoa! Hey!" Emily cried as James picked her up, "Put me down! Put me down! You know I hate heights! JAMES!"

James set Emily back down on the counter with a laugh.

Jayden took a seat at the kitchen table and watched as his friends messed with each other. He had never felt it like this before, and he certainly hadn't felt anything like this while he had been away, but more than ever the Shiba House felt like his home, like he was surrounded by friends and family who did care for him, and who did want him around.

"Jayden!" he heard his name being called and looked to the counter, where Emily was standing away from everyone else. She looked to him guiltily and sighed, "About what I said to you…"

"Don't worry about it, Em," Jayden held out his hand so she could stand on. Emily looked over the edge and shook her head. If he dropped her it was a long way down. Jayden chuckled. He knew she was scared of heights so he picked her up and quickly moved her to the table so they could talk. "You were mad, I get it. And I did treat you like shit when we first met."

"Still, I'm sorry."

"You can make it up to me," Jayden smirked. "I kind of pissed Lauren off. Any tips on avoiding the wrath of the angry older sister?"

"Yeah. Run away, hide, and when she finally does find you, pretend like you're scared and you're really sorry. The puppy face doesn't hurt."

"Running away kind of got me into this mess."

"Then show her you're not running away again. You aren't going to leave again, are you?"

Jayden looked around the room at the smiling faces and shook his head, "You know, I kind of like it here. Maybe I'll try my hand as a live-in ally."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"And so Antonio and Ji are going to stay too?"

"I guess so," Jayden smirked. He leaned down and whispered, "And guess what else."

"What?"

"I kind of handed Dekker his ass. The curse is lifted. He won't be bothering us, Serena, or Terran ever again."

Though Emily's eyes were very small, they still light up the room and her tiny body bounced with so much energy Jayden was sure she could power an entire city. She ran to the edge of the table, forgetting about her fear of heights as she called to the others.

"Dekker's dead! Whoa…!"

She also slipped off the table from her excitement, but Jayden caught her and moved her back to the counter. Emily darted over to Mike, jumping into his arms and the whole kitchen celebrated the news.

Jayden smiled brightly and he couldn't remember why he had ever left.


	62. Family Flames

Mike was sitting at the table, on the table, eating dinner with everyone but Ji, Kate, Serena, and Lauren. Ji and Kate weren't eating with the group because Ji was still recovering and Kate wouldn't leave his side unless it was to grab something for him and the others didn't feel like bothering them for nothing, deciding to let the older couple enjoy a little one-on-one time now that they were back together.

Serena and Lauren hadn't come from Lauren's room since Jayden had stated he had nothing to stay for. He had since changed his mind, but had been warned by most of his friends that it was best if he stayed far away from his angry older sister, at least until she calm down and came to him to talk.

So dinner was just for the Samurai and James and though they were celebrating a big win – Dekker's defeat – Mike felt somewhat frustrated. He had been reduced to a small size for way too long now. At first it had been fun as the whole house had turned into a playground. Now, it was getting old. He couldn't even go to the bathroom without worrying about falling into the toilet (and never coming back up). Being short sucked.

Finally, he began to feel something tickling him. At first he thought Emily who was excited as could be since hearing of Dekker's defeat was having a little fun by letting her hands get away from her, but the feeling spread and for a moment, he hurt. His muscles were sore, his bones were hurting, and he felt like he was being pulled in all directions. The discomfort lasted a few seconds only before Mike found himself sitting on the normal sized table, at normal size, with Mia, Kevin, and Emily all crowded on top with him.

"I don't get it," James scratched his head, "Everyone is back to average height except for Emily."

Emily growled, but then ignored James for Jayden, throwing herself into his arms to give him a proper hug and she showered his cheek in kisses. Dekker's death was a huge weight off her shoulders. Though Serena was more than capable of taking care of herself and Terran, Emily had felt the need to keep them both safe from Dekker from the moment Serena announced she had fallen in love with the Nighlok. Now Dekker was free from his curse, and Serena and Terran were free from their psychotic past.

Now, all that was left standing in their way were the Nighlok the Samurai had known from the start: Dayu, Octoroo, and Xandred.

They were close. They were very close.

-Samurai-

Lauren sat at her desk, staring at the Sealing Symbol she had drawn on the paper, feeling as though the Symbol wasn't worth anything anymore. It had torn her entire family apart. It had killed her father, sent her around the world, and kept Jayden confined to a life that wasn't truly his.

Though the world had weighed heavily on her mind from childhood, and she knew the importance of mastering the Symbol, she hadn't trained just to defeat Xandred. She had been told from the moment she had been taken from the Shiba House that the day she mastered the Symbol was the day she could go home to her family, and from there, it would be her turn to live a normal life.

Jayden's decision to leave again shattered that dream. She had made friends in the Shiba House now, but had dreamed of the day she would be reunited with her baby brother. She had trained her entire life so she could one day stand by his side, and he was throwing that back in her face.

Serena placed her hands on Lauren's shoulders, squeezing gently, "Everything's going to be fine. We'll just talk some sense into Jayden and I'm sure we'll convince him to at least keep in touch."

"Let's put it this way," Lauren turned around and looked up at Serena, "Imagine some strangers come here now, take you away completely against your will, and keep you from everything you love until you've completed something for them."

Serena closed her eyes as images of Serrator popped into mind. She was no longer scared of him, and didn't have a reason to fear him. He had been defeated a while back by Carrie, and would no longer be a danger to her, to her family, or to the world.

But the memory of what he had done to her just before his destruction still hurt Serena. He had turned her into his pet and forced her to train and use her powers well beyond her limits, and never promised to let her go back home until she had done what he asked. Until she had satisfied him.

Serena knew exactly what Lauren was trying to say.

"It's tough."

"And imagine finally coming home, and Emily saying she wanted nothing to do with you anymore."

"Lauren, Jayden's not saying that."

"He wants to leave!" Lauren shouted. "After everything, he won't even stay here. He doesn't want to be with me. I mean nothing to him."

"That's not true."

"It is!"

"No…"

"Lies. It was all lies. I don't have a family. I never had one. Mom died, dad sent me away, and my brother hates me. Of course my brother hates me."

"He doesn't hate you."

"Just get out," Lauren pointed to the door. Serena had a look and then shook her head. She wouldn't leave.

"You do have a family," Serena sat on the bed, "Jayden doesn't hate you."

"He's leaving me. He's leaving me… you're all going to leave. Once this Samurai thing is over… if my own brother can't find a reason to stay, what reason could the others have? Just like everyone else who's ever walked into my life, you're all going to walk out. I just need to face it. I'm alone. I'm just one stupid Symbol. Once Xandred is gone, I'm worthless."

Lauren picked up the paper with the Sealing Symbol drawn on it and tore it up. Serena looked to her sadly and then got up and walked out of the room. She came back moments later, pushing Terran's crib into the room, with Terran napping inside.

Then she walked out.

Lauren stared at the crib. She didn't get it. She stared and stared, knowing Serena was trying to say something.

Terran eventually started to stir and then he woke up. He looked around, seeing the room looked different from where he usually napped but when his eyes met Lauren's he forgot all about his confusion. Remembering she had read to him once, and he had had fun with her, his eyes lit up. He pulled himself up, stood against the side of the crib and reached out to her. He started to bounce excitedly when she got up and took him in her arms. Still a little tired, having just come out of his nap, he cuddled up against her chest, wrapped his little arms around her neck and lay his head down on her shoulder.

Serena finally came back, with a bag on her shoulder and a paper in her hands. She set the bag down, and then placed the paper on Lauren's desk.

"I want you to take care of Terran for a week," she said. "I want you to be a part of his life. I want you to build a relationship with my son."

"Why?"

"Because you're going to be around for a long time. Because you're already his Auntie Lauren. You're already a part of his family. By the way, he needs changing."

"Changing?"

"The diaper isn't just for decoration. Open it up, you'll find a nice little surprise waiting in there for you."

"Is it…?

"Yep."

"Why are you doing this?"

"You remember when you first got here, and you attacked my sister, so I attacked you? Well, let's just say, if you had put your hands on Terran, the world would have a big problem because you wouldn't be around anymore to seal Xandred away," Serena gestured to her son with a smile, "He's the most precious thing in the world to me. I don't trust him with just anyone. No one in this house would ever trust him with someone they thought was only temporary – someone who didn't mean something to them. Take care of him for a day."

"I know nothing about babies," Lauren shifted Terran's weight slightly. He was already getting heavy in her arms.

"I didn't know much my first day either, or even my first week. In fact, my first month was a whole lot of trial and error. You'll be fine," Serena smirked and then just like that she walked out. Lauren looked to the little boy in her arms and then sniffed his butt. There was definitely a surprise waiting there for her.

"I didn't know much about babies at first either," Jayden said while at the same time he knocked on the door. The house had told him to stay away from Lauren for a little while longer, but Serena had just come by and glared angrily at him. Jayden thought it best to at least check up on his sister. He took Terran from her arms and laid him down on the bed.

"Serena's always got a bunch of diapers sitting around," he told his sister. Lauren nodded her head and checked the bag Serena had brought. Fortunately, it was filled with everything Lauren would need to change Terran's diaper. She brought the bag over to Jayden and watched as he gently changed the boy out of his soiled diaper and into a fresh, clean one. He handed the baby back to Lauren and gave her a smile.

"I've decided to stay."

"You… you have?"

"This is my home," Jayden nodded. "Ji's here. He raised me. I can't leave that behind. All my friends, this little cutie… my sister."

Lauren turned away. Jayden sighed.

"I'm sorry, Lauren. I guess I fell into my old ways – where I thought it was better for everyone if I left, if I did things for myself and by myself. It didn't really occur to me that I would be leaving you behind, and what that would do to you. Look, Lauren, when you came in, when you took back your place… I felt like you had taken my place in this family too, like this whole time, my relationships with the team belonged to you."

"Jayden, I barely know any of them," Lauren shook her head, "I barely know you, and you're my brother. I didn't imagine things would be easy, but I never thought you would just walk away like that. I wanted to be a family. I've never had one before."

"It'll take some getting used to," Jayden said, "but I promise I'm going to stay. I'll help out, and we'll spend some time together. You're not in this alone. Not anymore."

Lauren nodded and pulled Jayden into her arms, squeezing him in with Terran.

"I came back for you," she whispered in his ear. Jayden returned the hug before pulling away and sitting on the bed. He invited Lauren to take a seat next to him.

"We would probably get to know each other a little better, and seeing as we'll be sharing this room, there's something I have to tell you."

"What?"

"Antonio and I share this bed. We'll get a spare one for you from storage so you have somewhere to sleep, but now that we're back, we would like our bed back."

"Deal," Lauren nodded and then got a bit of a curious look on her face, "Wait, if there is a spare bed, why are you two sharing?"

"I don't know what you've been taught," Jayden shook his head, "but the tradition of a man falling in love with and marrying a woman has kind of changed."

"You're gay too?"

"Well, bisexual, but I guess I'm gay now, because I've chosen to be with… Wait, what do you mean, I'm gay too?"

Lauren bit her lower lip, "Well…"

"No way…"

Lauren nodded her head, "I found out on my own a while back."

"Whoa," Jayden leaned back, letting the news soak in. "Well, who saw that coming, huh?"

"I guess this means we have something in common. Something to talk about."

"We have more than just that to talk about," Jayden said and turned to his sister, "So, uh, what have you been up to since… you know…"

Lauren smirked, but just as she was about to answer, Terran started to fuss. Jayden chuckled.

"He's hungry."

"How do you know?"

"He follows a schedule," Jayden got up and walked to the desk. Serena never left Terran in anyone's care without leaving a list of things to do. Even Mike and Emily got a list and a schedule, letting them know what to do to care for their godchild. Sometimes, Jayden even saw James with a list. "How about I explain how babies work while we make him something to eat for dinner?"

Lauren nodded her head and got up, following her brother down the hall.


	63. Family Bonds And Samurai Duties

Lauren had learned Terran was as cute as a baby could possibly get (which was quite cute). He had the most innocent expressions and was so carefree and happy.

All the damn time.

She liked him. She genuinely did care for him, she wanted what was best for him, and if she got the chance, she was excited to watch him grow up, curious to see what kind of man he would turn into. However, feeding him, changing him, getting him down for naps and for bed, playing with him, tiring him out, and making sure he didn't get hurt, lost, or that anything bad happened to him was exhausting, and several times Lauren found herself in over her head, unsure or even clueless about what to do next with the little boy. She was certain that he had outsmarted her more than any of her past senseis and mentors put together – and he had given her twice the workout anyone ever had before. She had never been so tired. She had never been so frustrated. Her strength, her limitations, and her patience had never been tested this much before.

And Terran was just a baby. Just a stinking baby (with a strong emphasis on the stinking).

But the team had come together to help her out, which Lauren had found out was the whole plan behind Serena's crazy and draining idea. Whenever she found herself completely clueless, someone would offer her a hand. They would show her how to change Terran's diapers, tell him what books he liked to read or what toys he liked to play with. They told her his favourite games, his favourite snacks, and even his favourite way to fall asleep. They had been a huge help, and though Lauren was positive she still wasn't ready to care for a child by herself, she felt a lot more confident with Terran than ever before, and she felt a lot more confident about her place in the crazy Ranger family.

Everyone had helped her learn. They hadn't done anything for her (despite her protests – especially when it came to changing diapers) but they gave her a hand and taught her how to do things for herself so that, next time (they had all implicitly or explicitly stated there would be a next time), Lauren could do it on her own. They had planned for her to be around long term. They wanted her to stick around long term.

They wanted her to be a part of their crazy, whacky family.

"Whack pack," James whispered and then shook a bottle of Advil before Lauren's sleepy face. She had just put Terran down for his nap, knowing the end of her day with the baby would be up once she got him to sleep. She never made it out of the room, though, too tired to get any further than her own bed. "Serena once called this family the whack pack. I think you know why now."

"I can't get that song out of my head," Lauren grumbled, "Or that nursery rhyme, or that stupid dance…"

"Kids' stuff is kind of catchy," James chuckled. "I once had Mary had a little lamb stuck in my head for a week. I thought I was going to go mad. Advil helps with the headache at least."

"I don't get it," Lauren sat up and took the painkillers, desperately needing them, "He's so small. He's so… harmless. Why is he such a pain? No offence."

"He's a baby. And he can't even talk back yet. Just wait until he discovers he can say no."

Lauren groaned, swallowed the pills and then she fell back on the bed, "I don't know how you do it. How Serena does it. All that, and she's still a Samurai? I thought my life was tough."

"You were alone," James said. "Sometimes that's the hardest thing. Everything's easier when you've got someone to help you out."

"Thanks for that," Lauren smiled, "I couldn't have done it without you. Without any of you."

"We're here to stay," James nodded his head and then smirked. "Well, actually, we were here first. You're here to stay. You're not just a Sealing Symbol. You're our friend. We've always got your back."

"I get that now," Lauren said.

"So you're feeling better? I mean, aside from the fatigue and frustration."

Lauren looked to James with a big grin, "Yeah. My brother's staying. I've got a family and, if these last twenty four hours mean anything, it's only going to grow from here on out."

"Atta girl," James gave her leg a pat and then got up, "If you want, you can nap in our room so the little monster doesn't wake you up. I've got him from here on out."

"Thanks," Lauren got up from the bed and started dragging her feet across the room, desperate for a good night's sleep.

-Samurai-

Initially, Emily had been excited to hear of Dekker's death. She had hated him from the moment she had first laid eyes on him, and he had caused her nothing but misery since that day. Even when her relationship with Dekker had been at a high in the very mists of his and Serena's love, he had still left a bad taste in Emily's mouth. To know he was finally gone, that he would never hurt anyone else she cared for ever again was a huge weight on her shoulders.

But Emily now felt an even bigger weight had fallen on her shoulders. Though there was less to worry about, with Serrator and Dekker destroyed for good, Xandred no longer had anyone to hide behind, or anyone to distract him from the Rangers. Looking back, Emily knew Serrator and Dekker were both just as big a threat to Xandred as they were to the Rangers, and they had pulled Xandred's attention away. Now, it all came down to the original war: Xandred vs. the Samurai. No distractions, nothing to hide behind, and no more running away. Only one team would come out the victor – the other would be destroyed.

And all it took was one winner. Either the winner was Xandred, in which case Emily and the entire team were doomed to death or a fate worse than, or the winner was a Samurai – but it only took one. Her entire team could still fall, leaving her alone, or she could fall – ending her existence regardless of the outcome of the battle.

The future was bleak. The odds that her whole family made it through alive and in one piece were so slim, Emily was sure it was impossible.

She knew the Samurai saying. The life of one was not worth more than the life of many. Emily knew why she had to fight. She knew what she was fighting for. Humanity as a whole deserved a bright future and is her sacrifice would bring peace to the rest of the Earth, it needed to be done. But her life was important to her, and the lives of her friends were important as well. In the two years they had known each other, at some point everyone had uttered the words _"You mean the world to me"_.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. Why did she have to risk everything she loved, everything that meant anything to her, while the rest of the world sat around waiting for her and for her friends to make the ultimate sacrifice? What had they done that allowed them the privilege of being protected? What made them so special that their lives meant more than hers?

As she sat in the bathroom, pondering those questions after hours of training, she heard the Gap Sensor go off. She picked up her Samuraizer from the countertop and stared at it fearfully.

"Em, you coming?" Mike called as he knocked on the door. Emily's stomach turned. What if this was it? What if she died and lost everything. She couldn't go. She couldn't risk it.

But she couldn't risk losing Mike – the only person she would gladly, and without hesitation, lay her life down for. He would go he would fight the Nighlok; he wasn't scared. It hadn't dawned on him yet that he was just a tool. They were all just tools – completely disposable to everyone on Earth who watched their battles closely, who bought the line of toys, of clothes, and of anything else that was meant to celebrate the heroes of Panorama City.

But only on the condition the Samurai did eventually defeat evil. If the Nighlok attacks persisted for too long, or if the Samurai lost, there would be no celebrating. The world would blame the Rangers for their failures. No one would say: _"The Power Rangers tried their best. The brave heroes; we should have done more to help."_

Instead, they would say: _"The Power Rangers let us down! They've failed us."_

"Emily, c'mon! It's Dayu! We need to go!" Mike called again as he knocked on the door. Refusing to let him go alone, refusing to let him or her team fail and fall, Emily clutched her Samuraizer tightly in her hand and opened the bathroom door.

"Sorry, now I'm ready."

"Is everything okay? You look upset."

"Funny bone isn't really funny. C'mon, let's go. We've got some Nighlok butt to kick."

"If Mia will even let us get our hands on Dayu," Mike chuckled. "Something tells me this is going to be heated."


	64. Dayu's Challenge

Dayu's decision to come and challenge the Rangers would be her biggest mistake. Mia would make sure of it. She had heard of Dekker's death and though she had quickly thanked the Rangers for finally releasing him from his long life of suffering, she was still living without him. Dayu wanted to either avenge Dekker's death or fall in battle just like he did. She wouldn't be happy living without him, and she certainly wouldn't be happy living in a world where those who hurt and killed him time and time again survived and even prospered. She would destroy the Samurai Rangers. She would ensure that all of humanity fell to the feet of the Nighlok, and that everyone on Earth would feel the misery she and Dekker had suffered for centuries, with no hope of ever coming back.

She also had a plan in mind. She and Octoroo had talked back on the ship in the Netherworld. This duel would kill two birds with one stone – regardless of how it turned out.

Mia gave the fight everything she had; remembering the fateful day where her father had returned to Panorama City, expecting to take Mia's place in the war so she could be safe. Her father had worried for her, and had cared for her so deeply that he had flown across the country and was more than willing to put his own life at risk so Mia didn't have to. He expected to take her place in the pink spandex and to fight her battles for her. He expected some hard times, and a lot of learning experiences – maybe even some brushes with death. Being a Samurai, he knew, wasn't easy.

He also expected to at least make it back to the Shiba House. Unfortunately, he never did. Dayu jumped the Rangers in their way back from Mia's grandmother's house and she killed him. Mia had learned to move past the pain, but it still hurt. Seeing Dayu brought up those memories and all that pain.

After her father's death, Mia had contemplated suicide, and would have gone through with it had Terran not startled her. Mia knew better now. She wouldn't kill herself. She had so much left to live for here on earth, and her father's bravery and sacrifice would be in vain if she took her own life.

So she would settle for Dayu. Dayu needed to die. Finally, after centuries, Mia was determined to be the one to bring an end to Dayu's miserable existence, avenge her father's death, and bring the Samurai one step closer to saving the world.

Dayu had brought Moogers with her. There were at least a hundred which had swarmed the other Rangers, leaving Mia and Dayu alone to fight. Dayu wasn't happy with her target, but knew if she eventually wanted to get to the Samurai who killed her husband (he wasn't even here, replaced by the true red Ranger), she would have to get through his team. She was only too happy to finally bring the pink Ranger bloodline to an end.

If she could. Mia struck her once more with her Spin Sword, drawing more blood and forcing Dayu to drop to her knees. The pink Ranger's strength in this battle was incredible and not to be underestimated. Before Dayu had time to get up, Mia slashed at her again with a blade so sharp it continued to break through her tough Nighlok skin.

Dayu couldn't fall yet, even if she wanted to. She wanted to be closer to Dekker, but she had a mission to complete first. Ignoring her pain for now (like she had been asked to do for centuries), Dayu gave the battle everything she had and eventually countered Mia's attacks, sending the pink Ranger to the ground with a laugh.

"You've meddled in my life for far too long, pink Ranger," Dayu growled.

Mia was off her feet, and the moment it took for her to recover from the attack was a moment too long. Her body realized the pain it was feeling, and was growing tired from the fight. Getting back up proved to be a challenge for her and an opening for Dayu, who kicked her in the chest before she could rise to her feet, effectively knocking her down again.

"Pathetic, pink Ranger," Dayu kicked the sword from Mia's hand and then stepped on her wrist, pinning her down. Mia struggled to reach her sword and then struggled to try and remove Dayu's foot from her wrist. Nighlok were naturally much heavier than humans. Even the smallest of Nighlok weighed about the same as an overweight, possibly even obese man. Dayu was easily a couple hundred pounds and with her foot keeping one of Mia's wrists on the ground, Mia's efforts to move her were futile.

"Trapped, with nowhere to go," Dayu chuckled as she drew her sword from her Shamisen, "Now you know how I've felt for centuries, pink Ranger."

"You're going to pay for what you did to my father," Mia growled as she tried to free her wrist, knowing that was her only hope.

Dayu prepared to strike the pink Ranger, hoping this would finally be it. Her shift in stance accidentally gave Mia the opportunity to pull her wrist free and roll out of the way as Dayu's blade came down.

Not that Mia would have been in trouble if she hadn't moved. Dayu's blade was met with another before it would have inflicted any harm on her trapped foe.

Emily glared up at Dayu as their swords locked. The yellow Ranger knew this was Mia's battle to fight, but her fears had compelled her to act. She was terrified of what would come from the war: positive nothing would be the same again, and not in a good way where humanity won, peace was brought to Earth, and the Samurai could all finally go back to their regular lives. Every battle held a risk. Emily was terrified she would lose one or all of her friends, and eventually, everyone she cared for. The Samurai life had given her friends and this crazy Ranger family. She refused to let it take them away too.

Dayu returned Emily's glare and her eyes caught the yellow on her suit. Yellow: so deeply cared for by Green who had once killed Dekker, by White who had stolen Dekker, and by Pink who continued to meddle constantly in Dayu's affairs, making her already painful and miserable existence even harder. They would all suffer like she had – like Dekker had. With one quick round, Dayu heard a cry of pain and saw a light. Before she could be sure what had happened had been what she had planned, something struck her and her Shamisen was ripped from her hand and tossed aside.

"NO!" she cried and was blown off her feet by a powerful wind and slammed into the rocky edge of a cliff. She dropped face first into the dirt but quickly picked herself up and ran for her Shamisen.

Mia, seeing Dayu going after her beloved instrument, decided to deprive her of it for good. With her wind Symbol Power, she lifted the Shamisen high into the air and launched it somewhere far off. Dayu's eyes were wide as she watched the Shamisen fly away from her.

"This isn't over," she cried and staggered as she raced off, hoping to find her Shamisen.

Mia growled as she looked over her shoulder at Emily, who lay in the dirt, and then over to Kevin. He locked eyes with her and nodded his head. Mia took in a deep breath and then set off after Dayu, refusing to let her get away and recover.

Kevin regrouped with the rest of his team as they helped Emily up to her feet.

"Mia's not going to let this go," he said. He had given Mia a head start but would never let her face a Nighlok on her own.

"Am I missing something?" Lauren asked, seeing the worried looks on everyone's faces, and they weren't pointed at Emily.

Mike, who kept his arms wrapped around Emily to hold her up, nodded his head, "Emily and I can explain it to you on the way home."

"We'll go keep an eye on Mia," Kevin said as he gestured to himself, Serena, and Antonio.

"Call us if you need help," Mike nodded. Kevin, Serena, and Antonio ran off, following the path Dayu and Mia had both taken deeper into the woods.

With a little help from Mike and Lauren, Emily turned in the direction of the Shiba House and started to walk home. Though her cuts and bruises from Dayu hurt, they weren't enough to supress the ill feeling in Emily's stomach.


	65. Battle Scars To Honour Badges

Mike and Lauren brought Emily back to the Shiba House. She wasn't badly hurt, but Dayu's attack had been serious enough to cause her to power down, and there was a patch of blood on her back, right on her shoulder. Ji, Kate, James, and Jayden had the first aid kit ready for the returning Rangers, as they always did. No battle ever left the Rangers unscathed.

"What happened out there?" Jayden asked and looked impatient for an answer. With Lauren as the red Ranger, he had to sit out but he could still be an active member of the team from home. Still, he had spent so long actually fighting the battles that sitting on the sidelines made him anxious and jumpy. He wanted to know how the battle had gone. He wanted every detail. He wanted to know as much as he could and more.

"Dayu's not happy you killed Dekker," Mike explained. He helped Emily out of her shirt so Ji could have a better look at the cut on her shoulder. "She's out for revenge, but I think she's got a death wish too."

"Mia didn't seem much different," Emily muttered and hissed as Ji cleaned off her cut. No matter how many times the alcohol burned her, she would never get used to the stinging pain. "Ow!"

"Sorry. This doesn't look too bad," Ji informed her. "As long as you're careful, you should be able to head back out there. Maybe we can finally defeat Dayu."

"And that'll leave only Xandred and Octoroo," Emily muttered to herself and felt her stomach churning in worry again. Somehow the lower numbers on the opposite side seemed like more of a threat. Until the number reached zero, and the number on her team stayed where it was, Emily couldn't settle."

"Mia's got to defeat Dayu," Mike said. He sat down on his stool, "We'll help if she needs it, but it's only fair we give her her shot. When that Nighlok killed Carrie, I felt better once I knew I had destroyed him. And it was awesome watching Carrie destroy Serrator. It's like a weight's been lifted. Mia deserves to feel that."

Mike then looked over to Lauren, knowing she had no idea why Mia had a strong hatred for Dayu, "She killed Mia's father; right in front of all of us. She tricked Mia into making a deal and then went back on her word. Lauren? Lauren, are you listening?"

Lauren snapped out of her thoughts and turned to Mike with a slight shake of the head, "What? Sorry, I was…"

"Were you checking out my wife?" Mike smirked, seeing Lauren had been focused on Emily. Lauren shook her head.

"No, no, I was just…"

"Because it's okay if you were. I mean, I married her for a reason. I know she's hot."

"Mike, leave her alone," Emily rolled her eyes and then focused on Lauren, "Did you hear what Mike said? Dayu killed Mia's father. That's why we have to let her do this."

"I understand," Lauren nodded. She pointed to the scar on Emily's stomach, "What's that?"

Emily looked down and side, "Dayu stabbed me once. These are all just battle scars."

"Well, most of them are," Mike smirked. "I'm sure you've noticed Emily's a bit of a klutz."

Lauren slowly nodded her head but knew there was more to the scars than what the Samurai were telling her. While most of the scars did look like they were a result of the war, some were too specific, most notably the scar on Emily's arm and the scar on her shoulder, right near the place Ji was closing up her most recent wound. Lauren focused on those two scars and Emily noticed. She held out her arm, showing it to Lauren.

"It says Earth," she explained. "It's not as bad as it once was, but it's always going to be there. Mike's got one too. And Jayden, Kevin, and Antonio."

"Forest," Mike rolled up his sleeve and showed Lauren. "One of our tougher days on the job."

"Emphasis on days," Emily nodded.

"Some Nighlok really take the misery and suffering thing seriously," Jayden showed his sister his Fire scar. Seeing the look of worry and guilt on her face, he offered her a smile, "It's fine. It was a long time ago. We're all over it."

"So, the scar with a Nighlok's name, is that a team thing too?"

"Serrator was a real monster," Mike said. "We're all glad to see he's gone."

Lauren looked down at her own hands and imagined the scars on her body. She had a few, though not many and none of them had been intentional to cause her pain or suffering like the ones inflicted on the Samurai. Hers were a result of her training, when her mentors and sensei had been tough on her, but they had never been so cruel as to purposely scar her body and leave her with a permanent reminder of the tortures of war.

"We're going to stop Xandred," Lauren promised, looking into the eyes of her Samurai teammates and her brother, "We'll turn those scars into badges of honour, I promise."

"We know you will," Mike smiled and handed Emily back her shirt as Ji finished up. He then walked up beside Lauren, gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder and signalled he was ready to follow her back out into battle again. Lauren gave the nod and she and Mike started off.

Emily stayed behind for a moment as she got dressed. As she pulled her shirt over her head, she noticed Jayden staring at her.

"Is everyone in this room attracted to me?"

Jayden shook his head, "You're normally our number one cheerleader. Why was Mike the one backing Lauren? Why were you just sitting there?"

"It's nothing," Emily answered. Jayden opened his mouth to say something but Emily rushed out, running quickly so she could catch up to Lauren and Mike.


	66. Bright Futures

Mia stumbled, falling forward into a tree and using its truck to support herself up right as she stopped to catch her breath. She and Dayu had been chasing each other for what felt like hours and neither of them seemed to be winning. Every time Mia would get the jump on Dayu, she could only hold the advantage for so long before she made a mistake and Dayu got away. Likewise when it was Dayu who caught the pink Ranger off guard; Mia would eventually turn the tables, forcing Dayu to retreat.

Dayu had found her Shamisen, and for some reason she desperately needing to keep it close. She chose to run from a battle every time Mia knocked her instrument/weapon from her hand. It was like she couldn't win a battle without it; like she needed it to defeat the pink Ranger.

She was up to something, Mia was sure, but the pink Ranger didn't really care what it was. Memories of her father came flooding back to her when she was looking at Dayu and anytime she was looking for Dayu. He had died too soon and too unfairly. Dayu deserved to pay for what he had done.

Finding it difficult to catch her breathe quickly this time, Mia slumped down to the base of the tree and leaned her back against it. She was so tired and her body was begging for her to call it a day while her mind and her heart screamed at her to keep going – that she had to defeat Dayu sooner rather than later. She pulled off her helmet, refusing to power down just in case Dayu was close. When she wiped her eyes with her gloved hands, she saw just how much her had cried. Her face was soaked with tears and her eyes were so drowned her nose was leaking to compensate.

"Water?" she heard and looked up, seeing Kevin in his training uniform, with Antonio and Serena behind him. Kevin was holding out a bottle of water. Mia took it, took a long sip, and then dropped her head back.

"Dayu's too good. I'm not going… I can't…"

"You can," Kevin took a seat beside her and held her hand softly; "You're just trying too hard."

"You've been watching me?"

"You're not alone," Kevin nodded. He looked to the others and then back to Mia with a smile, "We know this is important to you. You should be the one to defeat Dayu. But the weight doesn't rest solely on your shoulders. We're all here for you. We're here to help – to make sure you get the last laugh."

"Why don't you rest here?" Serena suggested as she and Antonio sat down, "If Dayu shows up, we'll hold her off. We'll wake you up so you can destroy her."

"I can't sleep. My mind's racing. I have to…"

Kevin grabbed her arm as Mia tried to get up. He pulled her down gently and wrapped his arms around her.

"You know you're not going to win like this. You're exhausted. You're emotional. It's tough; Mia, but you need a clear head. You need to focus. And Dayu's strong. You'll need to be rested and ready to face her."

"To kick her ass. You can do it, we all know you can," Antonio smiled. "We'll keep watch. We'll wake you if Dayu's stupid enough to show her ugly face."

"And once she's gone, it's just Xandred and Octoroo left," Serena added, "We'll have nothing standing in our way. Lauren will seal them right up, and your father's going to get his wish. You'll be out of danger for good."

"We'll get to go home to our families," Antonio said and there was a big grin on his face at the thought of returning home and seeing his father again – reintroducing him to Jayden the boyfriend and possibly telling him all about his adventures as a Samurai. His father didn't know yet the reason Antonio was staying so long in Panorama City with very little contact, but if the Nighlok were gone for good, there was no need for a secret. He couldn't wait to let his father in on what felt like a secret life.

Serena also smiled at the thought of victory, and the thought of finally getting to settle down with the family she never thought she would have. Her husband and her son would be by her side – out of harm's way. She could get a real job – a steady job. One where she could actually go into work regularly, without having to call in fake-sick to deal with Samurai issues, or have to leave early to fight off a Nighlok attack. James would stay home, as they had planned, to raise Terran, and maybe Serena and James would add one more bundle of joy to their family.

Mia thought about the end too and nestled into Kevin's arms. Xandred and the Nighlok's end would be the very beginning for her.

"The most amazing wedding," Kevin whispered in her ear. He held her close and stroked her back, doing what he could to calm her down and get her to sleep while he, Antonio, and Serena watched out for Dayu. "I promised you the most amazing wedding, and I'm going to deliver. And for the honeymoon, I've got something amazing already planned."

"A honeymoon?" Mia whispered. She hadn't put much thought into the honeymoon yet, so consumed by her future wedding. The fact that Kevin had made her all the more excited, and if possible, she loved him even more.

"It's a surprise, but I'm sure you're going to love it. We have the best future laid out for us, so rest up. It'll all be over soon."

Kevin finally felt Mia relax in his arms and looked down, seeing her mind had finally settled and she had fallen asleep. He gave her a gentle kiss and then looked to Serena, "This are running smoothly, right?"

"When I promise to get something done, I deliver," Serena nodded her head. "You just focus on that dream honeymoon and remember you owe me a huge favour."

"I know."

"Like, huge. Ginormous."

"I get it."

"Wait, what are we talking about?" Antonio asked, looking a little confused.

"Secret wedding stuff," Serena smirked, "Turns out, Kevin's actually been paying attention to all the bridal magazines and those crazy TV shows."

"Just for Mia," Kevin shrugged his shoulder, "The shows still bore me to death."

"Yahuh," Serena nodded unconvincingly and rolled her eyes, "Own up, you're just as excited about the wedding as Mia is. Watch out, Antonio, Bridezilla might not be the only monster to turn up on their wedding day."

Kevin just rolled his eyes and shook his head. He turned away from Serena and Antonio, ignoring them as they teased him about his wedding. Serena was right, though, he was just as excited as Mia for the big day and given his need for order and perfection, he was very likely going to turn into an unbearable, demanding, and unreasonable groom.

But screw them. It would be his wedding day. It would be the best day of his life. The day he would forever be married to the love of his life, and the most amazing woman he had ever met. He gave Mia another kiss and got comfortable with her in his arms. He kept a look-out for Dayu while Serena and Antonio continued to laugh and joke about how crazy Kevin and Mia were going to be the day of their wedding.

He couldn't help but laugh inside. They were going to be the ones who had to put up with the two of them. It would be his wedding day, and their funeral.


	67. All Goes To Hell

After a bit of rest, Mia was back on the hunt, ready to take Dayu out for good.

Dayu was making herself an easy target. Mia had followed a trail until the sound of music led her right to Dayu. Crouching behind a bush, Mia peeked at her opponent hoping she would find an opportunity. Instead, she found something a little different. Dayu was crying. Mia dropped down on her knees for just a moment and imagined the pain Dayu must have felt. Centuries of wishing to get her husband back and it had all been wishful thinking. Dayu and Dekker's end wouldn't be a happy one. Mia imagined behind torn away from Kevin, and forced to live without him for centuries. It was painful.

It wouldn't stop her from defeating Dayu, though. No matter how she felt for the half-Nighlok, Earth came first, her father came first. She got to her feet, Spin Sword in hand, and stepped out from behind the bush, purposely snapping a twig so Dayu would know she had been found.

"This ends here. You want to be back with Dekker, so stand still."

"You think I'm going to give up so easily, pink Ranger? You think, after centuries of fighting you and your pathetic ancestors, I'm going to roll over and let a human walk all over me?"

"You want death, I want you dead. Trust me; it'll be a lot less painful if you just…"

Dayu let out a hellish cry as she charged towards Mia, drawing her blade from her Shamisen and using the body of her instrument as a shield. Mia saw her coming early enough to block her attack and struck at her once across the chest, drawing blood from a deep gash with the first swipe. Seeing Dayu was still close enough for a fight, Mia struck at her again, striking her across the other way, leaving a deep and bloody _X_ across her chest. Dayu staggered backwards and clutched her chest with her hand while holding out her sword with the other. She didn't bother fighting back, knowing what was coming next. Mia raised her sword and brought it down on Dayu, tearing through her body with as much strength and energy as she had, almost tearing Dayu in two and most certainly breaking her Shamisen in half. She watched as both pieces fell from Dayu's hands and on the ground, followed instantly by Dayu.

For a moment, there was silence. Mia couldn't believe Dayu was finally finished. As she was about to finish the job, just to make sure Dayu couldn't miraculously recover, a thick, black smoke started coming from the Shamisen. Mia ignored it at first, assuming it was just a part of Dayu's death, but the smoke started to cover her.

And it burned. Through her Ranger suit it had burned her. Mia powered down and stumbled back. She fell to her knees and looked at her arms and legs to see patches of burned skin. She let out a cry of pain and of anger. Even dead, Dayu had still tricked her. Even dead, Dayu was getting the last laugh.

Literally. Though Dayu was as good as dead now, she was still somewhat alive. Alive enough to see Mia suffering from the smoke and it made her laugh.

"You stupid human," the grin on her face was wide, "The black smoke… that's evil powers. You've just unleashed the greatest evil upon your own world, and you've finally released me from my curse. I'll finally be reunited with Dekker while you and this pathetic world you've been trying to save suffer the worst fate imaginable."

Dayu let her head drop in the dirt as the black smoke clouded around Mia once more, leaving her burned and tearing through her skin. Mia tried to get up to her feet, hoping to get away from the smoke, hoping she could hide from it, but just as she rose, something grabbed her and a sharp blade was pressed against her neck.

"You'll live for now," a deep, dark voice boomed and Mia instantly recognized it. She hadn't heard it often in her life, but it had haunted every one of her nightmares. Xandred. Master Xandred was back.

"No," she whimpered and tried to pull free. The smoke clouded around her once more and Mia cried out in pain. Looking down at Xandred's arm, which was holding her against him, she saw him go from dried up raisin back to his rough, thick, deadly Nighlok skin.

Suddenly, he shoved her, pushing her into the dirt, telling her she was free to go only to tell the other Samurai he was back. Mia crawled away and turned around, seeing Xandred now headed for Dayu. He picked up her limp, as good as dead body and seemed to hug her close. It wasn't a sign of affection for the Nighlok who had served him for centuries, though. Dayu's body disappeared and Xandred seemed to grow a little taller – a little stronger.

"Run!" Xandred shouted when he saw she was still around. "Run, before I change my mind."

Mia got up to her feet and stumbled off into the forest, hoping she could reach the spot where the others had promised to wait for her. She couldn't carry herself for long, though, and stumbled. She fell back into the dirt and rolled over, staring up at the sky. Though it was day, and almost noon – a time where the sun was supposed to be at its brightest, the sky was covered in thick, dark clouds.

-Samurai-

Mike, Lauren, and Emily had joined the Samurai overnight, and were now waiting for Mia to finish off Dayu once and for all. The Samurai had promised to stick close to where Mia had intended to search for the Nighlok, and to only interfere if things looked bad for Mia. Judging by the clouds of smoke they were seeing rising up from the trees, the scream they had heard, and the sky suddenly going dark, they were sure she needed help. Rushing off, they started calling her name, hoping she was nearby.

Serena suddenly stopped running as a bad feeling punched her in the stomach. A couple paces ahead, Emily also stopped. Seconds later, the ground shook, knocking all the Rangers from their feet as the Earth cracked, leaving lines all over that suddenly flooded with Sanzu water. All at once, thousands of puddles of the burning water appeared all around the Rangers, and likely all over the city.

Lauren was the first back on her feet. As she helped the others up she looked to the sky. She knew what was happening. The look on her face told the others.

"B-but he was a raisin," Emily muttered as Lauren helped her to her feet. "He… Now?"

"Don't you feel it? The air is full of misery. Earth is becoming the perfect place for the Nighlok. He's back."

"Mia!" Kevin screamed at the top of his lungs, hoping she would hear him and find him. He wouldn't wait around for her, though. Jumping over the puddles and streams of Sanzu Water, Kevin rushed off to find her. The others followed him.

He found her before long lying in the dirt, covered in blood, gashes, and burns. He was about to run to her, about to take her in his arms and hold her when he felt something bad. He paused beside Mia and then turned to the others. They looked like they couldn't feel what he was feeling and so they dropped down beside Mia. Knowing his fiancée would be well looked after, Kevin continued to run.

Emily was the only one to notice he hadn't stopped for Mia. While Mike took on Kevin's role of comforting Mia and making sure she would be okay, Emily jumped up to her feet and raced after Kevin. After what had just happened she refused to leave anyone alone.

She raced through the woods, vaguely able to see Kevin's back as she followed him towards what she knew was the ocean. Panorama was lucky enough to be right on the coast of the Pacific Ocean and before the Nighlok had started attacking the city, the beautiful ocean views and the beaches had drawn many people in from around the world.

The view wasn't so beautiful anymore. Kevin burst out from the forest and stopped on the beach. Emily was right behind him, but lost sight of him as soon as she emerged from the woods. Instead, all she could see was red.

"No!" Emily screamed. The ocean as far as Emily could see was red. It was filled with Sanzu Water for who knew how far out. It was very likely the Sanzu Water stretched all the way across the largest ocean on Earth, touching the other coast and covering about one third of the Earth.

Furry Worts. Emily had heard of them in the stories her mother and Serena used to tell her. Furry Worts started to cover the beach, echoing Emily's loud scream. Then, left and right, Moogers appeared from the sands, which was slowly turning into red rock. Seeing the evolution was happening right before his eyes, Kevin picked up Emily and he carried her back into the woods. He set her down just as the Netherworld, now on Earth, completed its span, reaching as far as it could for now. Kevin wasn't sure just how much it did cover, but he was more concerned with the fact there was now a part of the Earth that belonged to the Nighlok. The Netherworld had risen.

Kevin grabbed Emily by the arms and looked right at her, "We're going to stop this," he reassured her. Emily shook her head and looked out to the Netherworld.

"It's everywhere," she whispered.

Kevin nodded his head. He was just as terrified as she was. Then he saw something in the corner of his eye. He pulled Emily behind a bush and then poked his head up to have a look. Emily did the same.

"Xandred," she whispered, seeing his big, dark, menacing form step on the beach – now the Netherworld.

"Rangers. Rangers. Rangers!" the Furry Worts suddenly began their chant and as soon as their song reached Xandred's ears he seemed to grow furious. Kevin grabbed Emily by the arm and started to pull her away. They didn't get far before thousands of Moogers surrounded them.


	68. Getting To Safety

Mike paced back and forth outside Mia's bedroom, worried about her condition, but also worried for Kevin and Emily, who had disappeared at some point while he cared for Mia. He wanted to go out to look for them, but he had to trust that Kevin had left Mia behind for a reason, knowing she was safe with the Samurai and with Mike, and that he would take care of Emily. Kevin wouldn't want Mike to leave Mia in her state, and if both he and Emily had left Mia, it had to be for something really important. Neither one would ever abandon Mia.

Ji and Kate were inside the room, tending to Mia and her multiple burns and cuts. Mia hadn't yet been able to tell anyone what had happened, but they had a pretty good idea. The others were in the common room, confirming their suspicions by looking on the map.

Finally, the door to Mia's room opened. Kate walked out, holding in her hands a lot of bloodied bandages. She went straight for the kitchen to clean up. Ji stepped out next and looked to Mike.

"She's asking for Kevin."

He nodded his head, "I'll take it from here."

Ji gave Mike a pat on the shoulder and then walked away, following Kate to the kitchen. Mike took in a deep breath and stepped inside the room. Mia was finally awake and stirred when she heard Mike walking in. At first she thought it was Kevin, but sighed in disappointment when she saw it was only Mike.

"Sorry," she whispered when she realized Mike could hear her sigh. Mike shook his head.

"I'd do the same to you. It's okay."

"Where is he?" Mia asked and looked around, knowing there was no point. Kevin wouldn't have refused to come see her. He wouldn't have sent Mike in his place. If he wasn't with her, it was because he wasn't around. Knowing what she knew, the thought of his absence truly terrified her.

"Something came up," Mike said. "Something really, really important. He knows you'll be well looked after."

Silence filled the room and Mia cringed, remembering the last time she had heard nothing but silence.

"Dayu's gone," she whispered just to make a sound. Mike looked to her with a smile on his face. He had no idea.

"Mia, that's great…"

"She stored all the misery in her Shamisen," Mia shook her head, "I cut it open, not on purpose, and this thick black smoke came out. It was misery. Enough misery to bring him back."

"Xandred?"

"He let me go. He let me go so I could tell you he's back."

"Not for long," Mike assured her and he pulled Mia into his arms, "We're still going to win, I promise."

Mia held Mike tightly and buried her face in his shoulder, "I brought him back…"

"No. He would have come back eventually. This isn't your fault, Mia. No one's going to blame you. I promise."

"Mike…"

"I would have done anything if it meant destroying Serrator," Mike whispered to her. "Even if it unleashed Xandred. He was coming anyways; I might as well have gotten the satisfaction of getting revenge first. And it's not like we weren't expecting this. We're going to send him right back to where he came from. For good."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too," Mike whispered and kissed the side of her head, deciding he would stay with her until she fell asleep. Mia was in no condition to be alone. Kevin wouldn't have left her behind if he thought for a second she would be left alone.

-Samurai-

In the common room, the map had confirmed their fears. Xandred was back. More than that, he had brought the Netherworld with them. As much of the Pacific Ocean as the map would cover had been transformed into Sanzu Water, and there was no telling how much more spread. The Rangers didn't investigate because they were sure they didn't want to know. When it was a few miles out, or covered the whole ocean they were still in trouble.

The Gap Sensor was now useless. It would blare loudly all day and every day, until Xandred was gone and the Netherworld was back where it belonged. The Samurai had turned it off and shut it down before they started talking about what to do next, when to challenge Xandred, and how they were going to defeat him.

Serena didn't pay any attention to that, though. Thoughts raced through her head concerning her family, and her missing sister wasn't even the first thought in her mind. With the Netherworld and Xandred now on Earth, no place was safe for James and Terran. If anything, the Shiba House would be target number one.

She knew this day was coming. She had always told herself they weren't going to stick around for this battle. Hiding in the Shiba House was the worst place to be. Xandred would be drawn there first and would surely find a way to break in. She hid it as much as she could, but the tears were streaming down her face. Once Antonio mentioned this meant the beginning of the end, Serena got up and raced to her bedroom. Terran was napping.

She approached his crib and gently woke him from his sleep. Seeing his mother, Terran was excited. He sat up and was lifted into Serena's arms. She hugged him tightly and he returned the hug. Still tired, he rested his head on her shoulder.

One arm carried Terran and hugged him close. The other started collecting his things and tossed them into a bag. She had an emergency bag prepared for him but this wasn't an emergency yet. She had time to give him everything he would need and everything he would want with him. His books, his toys, his precious blanket, and all the supplies he needed fit into two bags. Serena carried then and Terran to the common room. She dumped the bags on the floor and looked to James. His eyes widened and he shook his head.

"Serena, I'm not leaving."

"You have to," Serena said. "And you're taking Terran with you."

"Serena…"

"Xandred's going to come here, and he'll kill us all without a second thought. I'm not letting that happen. This is the best chance you'll get."

"I can help."

"You can get out!" Serena shouted. James took it in and nodded his head. She was right. The best thing he could do to help was leave. It terrified him, but he couldn't stick around and be a distraction to Serena. More than that, he couldn't keep Terran in danger.

Terran, hearing his mother's yell and knowing there was something upsetting her, started to scream. He clung to her tightly, begging for comfort. Serena hugged him close as James got up from his stool and started collecting the bags.

"It's okay, Terran," she whispered in her son's ear as she rocked him.

"Jay, Lauren," Antonio whispered and pointed to the common room, allowing Serena and James the privacy they needed for their goodbye by leaving them alone.

Serena and James didn't stay in the common room for long. Once James had the bags in his hands they walked to the front hall. Serena set Terran down on the floor and started to get him dressed for outside. She didn't know how long he was going to be gone for, or if she would ever see him again, but winter was just around the corner. She dressed him warmly with his tiny boots, his little yet extremely puffy jacket, his small hat, and his extremely tiny and adorable mittens. He was so small – Serena was just noticing that now. Every day she had woken up before and stared in awe at how big he was getting, but today he was so small. He was so young. As she stood him up, she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"You be good for daddy, okay," she told him and couldn't stop the tears from flooding down her cheeks. Tearfully she pulled her son back in for a hug and sobbed into his shoulder. Terran had no idea what was going on, except that his mother was upset. He hated seeing her so upset. He wrapped his little arms around her and fell into her, demanding she hold him. Serena lifted him up and put him in James' arms.

"Stay safe, both of you," Serena said to James and she kept a hold on Terran's hands. They were so small and so soft. Suddenly, she had to let go, knowing what she would have to say next to James, "Please, don't let him suffer."

James knew what she meant. They had talked about it time and time again. The final battle against Xandred had always been inevitable, and Serena's wish had been that Terran not have to grow up in a world run by Nighloks. She would rather her son die than suffer, and if he was going to die, she knew James would make sure it was a proper, quick, and painless death. It was her one wish as a mother: that her son grow up in a happy world.

"Everything's going to be okay," James assured her. He gave her a kiss, and the lean in was just enough for Terran to grab Serena's sweater. He held her clothes in his baby death grip, refusing to let go until his father had to pry his fingers open. Terran let out a scream of protest.

"MAMA!" he held out his hand for Serena, begging she take him back as James started to walk out the door.

"I love you too, Terran," Serena whispered and waited for the door to close before she fell to her knees and curled up against the wall. She would fight for him. She would do everything in her power to see him again, but she didn't ignore the reality that her life was in danger. This could very well be the last time she ever saw her son.

Her heart felt empty. She wanted to cry but she couldn't. She was so upset, so torn up that her body couldn't possibly cry. It wasn't enough. Nothing felt like enough.

Down the hall, Jayden, Antonio, Lauren, Ji, and Kate had stepped out from the kitchen and they had seen the final goodbye. They were going to miss James and Terran as well, but none of them could imagine Serena's pain.

No one except Lauren. Watching Terran and James leave Serena so suddenly and not knowing if they would ever see her again brought back memories. She and Jayden had been ripped from each other but Jayden had Ji. It was a whole other feeling being torn apart from family and left alone. Once they figured out where Emily and Kevin had gone, Serena wouldn't be so alone, but right now she had no one to lean on.

At least, she felt that way. Taking initiative, and giving back to the person who had accepted her right from the start, Lauren rushed over to Serena and hugged her. She didn't say anything. Nothing could be said to comfort Serena. She simply held her warmly.

-Samurai-

It was getting late, not that the sky in the surface Netherworld was any indication of that, but Kevin's watch said it was evening, and his watch was never wrong.

He sat in a corner, hugging his knees to his chest as he kept his eyes on the door. Xandred and Octoroo had chained him to the wall of their ship by his ankles and wrists which allowed for some movement, but not much. A couple hours before they had freed him and brought him behind the door he was currently staring at. They now knew about Lauren, though not much about their plans had changed. Whether it was Lauren or Jayden, the red Ranger still had the power to seal everything back to the Netherworld where it belonged.

They wanted to know the Symbol. They wanted to know as much as they could about the Samurai, the Shiba Family, and about the Sealing Symbol. They didn't have the red Ranger, but they had two of the Samurai and they were positive they had the information they needed.

Kevin wouldn't crack. They could do what they wanted to him but he remembered his duty to the Shiba House and his duty to his friends. He would never give then Nighlok what they wanted, even if it meant he would end his days in suffering, or worse, he was cursed to an eternity of suffering like Serrator had done to Dayu. He wouldn't put the Earth at risk – no matter the cost to him.

Unfortunately, Xandred and Octoroo knew of his loyalty. It was a trait that had been passed down in his family from one generation to the next. The blue Rangers had always been extremely loyal, extremely brave, and sometimes extremely foolish. Getting a blue Ranger to betray his Samurai leader or any of his Samurai teammates, even if his life was in danger, was like trying to nail Jell-O to a tree. It wasn't going to happen and it wasn't worth the effort. They had quickly let him go back to his corner and chained him up, switching him out for Emily. Kevin desperately hoped she wouldn't break easily. At the same time, he wanted her to cave. He couldn't stand the thought of her hurt and he had seen firsthand that Octoroo and Xandred weren't going to hold back.

Suddenly, something smashed through the door and flew across the ship. It hit the wall behind Kevin and dropped next to him. It was Emily. She let out a groan. It was weak, it sounded pained, and she didn't look well, but it did tell Kevin she was still alive.

Which was good for him. He didn't want to see her dead, and he didn't want to escape if it meant going home and telling Mike he had failed to protect her. The others weren't even sure where he and Emily had run off to, too concerned with Mia when it had happened.

"I didn't say anything," Emily whispered as Octoroo shackled her to the wall and left to the back room where Xandred was shouting something about a headache. Kevin helped her sit up and smiled.

"Good. How are you feeling?"

"Like I wish I had caved."

Kevin nodded. He knew what she meant. He was hurting too. He hadn't been in the room for as long as Emily, but Xandred and Octoroo knew it was going to take more force to get him to talk and so had started on him right away with the painful stuff. Emily had spent longer inside, but it seemed they had started softer on her, having underestimated her threshold for pain and her loyalty to her family and the Earth.

"Got enough energy for a rock?" he asked her. Emily looked to him. Her eyes screamed exhaust but she nodded her head.

"As long as it means getting out of here, I'll do whatever."

"Just start with a rock for now."

Emily nodded her head and reached for her Samuraizer in her pocket. Behind her back, just in case Xandred and Octoroo could see through the hole her body had made when Xandred and thrown her through the door, she traced a symbol and a stone fell into her hand. Discreetly, she passed it over to Kevin.

The blue Ranger stood still with the stone for a moment and anticipated Xandred's yelling. When the master of the Nighlok let out a cry, demanding for more medicine, Kevin smashed the stone against the cuff on his ankle. He wanted to free Emily first, but if Xandred or Octoroo caught them trying to escape, he was better off facing the punishment.

Xandred's shouts and demands were loud enough and last long enough for Kevin to smash through all eight restraints, breaking the locks and opening the cuffs. Once he and Emily were both free, they walked to the porthole and looked out.

"We can't swim in Sanzu Water," Emily whispered to Kevin.

"Make a bigger stone," Kevin told her, "Just outside the ship. Something to land on. Then I'll throw you out the window."

"First a door, now a window. I've got enough splinters, Kevin."

"Do you trust me?" Kevin looked to her. Emily sighed and nodded her head. He gave her a smile, "You can do it, Em."

Emily nodded. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Kevin stared out the porthole as Emily traced a Symbol just outside the ship and when it was done it materialized into a floating rock. He had no idea how much energy that would take from her so he acted quickly. He lifted her up and pushed her out the porthole. Emily let out a little scream as she fell to the other side, but fortunately Xandred shouted something about his medicine being too weak, covering her scream. When she was safely on the other side, Kevin climbed out and over, landing on the rock.

"Not fun, is it?" Emily muttered when Kevin face-planted. Kevin got up and shook the cobwebs.

"Sorry, do you want to stay with the nastiest Nighlok of them all?"

Emily shook her head, "I'll shut up."

"Good. Can you make another rock just a few feet away?" Kevin pointed where he wanted the rock and one appeared. When he was sure it was sturdy, and sure Emily wouldn't let it cave under him, he jumped from the one he was standing to the new rock. When he was on it, he turned to Emily, "Just like that. Do like me."

Emily's eyes widened and she shook her head, "One: height," she pointed down below to show they were higher up than what she was comfortable with and to show they were floating over Sanzu Water, "Two: burning ocean of death."

"It's not that far to jump," Kevin assured her. "I know you're tired, but you can do this."

Emily gulped. She stepped to the edge of her rock and looked down. Kevin stretched out his arms and could almost reach her.

"I'll catch you," he promised her. "We're making it to the other side together, or we're falling together. I can't do this without you, Em."

Emily gulped and backed away from the edge. If she was going to jump, she was going to run into it. She did exactly that, launching herself from the rock once she reached the edge. Kevin, as he promised, caught her, though there was no need to. She would have landed in the rock without his help. Still, she was happy he had kept his word.

And she was happy she had knocked him over. While her fall had been somewhat cushioned by his body, Kevin fell on his back against the hard rock.

"Good job, Em," he groaned painfully and sat up. He saw the rock they had previously been standing on disappeared and Emily replaced it with another one on the other side. She knew what Kevin wanted her to do. They were going to leap from rock to rock until they got to shore.

Jumping carefully, but moving quickly, they managed to make it across with only two scares: the first had been from Kevin, who had over jumped and almost flew right over the target rock. Emily saved him by quickly moving the rock forward, catching him before he fell into the burning ocean. The second scare had been Emily when she jumped on the target rock but lost her balance and fell back. Kevin caught her and pulled her back up to safety.

They did make it to shore, and just in time too. Before Emily could jump down to safety, the rock disappeared from under her feet, dropping her into Kevin's arms. She was exhausted, and Kevin couldn't blame her. It had been a long way and she had used a lot of Symbol Power.

They still had a long way to go, though, and it was Kevin's turn to use up his energy. He put Emily on his back, promising she could sleep the rest of the way and started hiking back home. He told Emily they would make it back for sure, but he didn't know how much strength he had left in him – or even if Xandred and Octoroo had noticed his and Emily's escape. Even with the head start, in his state, and with Emily on his back he couldn't outrun even Octoroo – the slowest of the Nighlok.


	69. Samurai Never Quit

Kevin had never felt so unfit in his life, despite the fact that this workout took a lot more strength, cardio, and endurance than anyone would ever be asked to do. He was weighed down by the injuries he suffered at Octoroo and Xandred's hands, weighed down by sheer exhaustion of walking home for hours, and literally weighed down by the weight on his back. A tired Emily had slept the entire way home and it had been a well-deserved rest too. Kevin had come up with the plan to escape, but never could have done so without Emily.

Shifting her so she was higher on his back, Kevin looked straight ahead. He could see the Shiba House and was finally home. Now he had a choice to make. He could either push far beyond his limits and actually walk into the house or he could collapse and wait for the other Samurai to notice he and Emily were finally home.

Kevin still wasn't sure whether he was being followed or not and couldn't risk making himself vulnerable. If he was being followed, a Mooger or Nighlok could easily snatch him and Emily and take them back to the ship, making their escape futile and even stupid. Xandred would surely punish them for breaking free.

"Mia better be alive," Kevin muttered to himself as he walked the rest of the way, making it through the protective shield and inside the house.

Serena, Antonio, Jayden, and Lauren were in the hallway and it looked like they were just about to leave the house. Kevin hoped they were about to leave to look for him and Emily. Hell, he hoped they had just gotten home from a long night of searching.

"Where the hell have you been?" Serena shouted and took Emily from Kevin's back, hugging her sleeping sister tightly. Emily woke up for a moment, just long enough to see she was home and in her sister's arms before passing out again.

Kevin slumped forward and was caught by Jayden and Antonio. Serena's question would go an unanswered for a little while longer, but from the looks of things, she figured maybe it would be best if she didn't know.

-Samurai-

Fire. Fire burned everywhere. Fire, water, everything was dangerous. Everything wanted to kill her. Even the laugh. A deep, dark laugh shook her to her very core. It was everywhere. Death was everywhere.

Hope? There was no hope. No hope, no will to live, and no possible escape from this suffering, this misery, and he continued to laugh. He had every right to laugh. He had won. The Earth belonged to him. All life was his to destroy or spare. Most had been killed. She had watched them all die; her friends, her family, her husband. He had killed them all. The rest, those who were spared were slaves, doomed to work for Xandred until the day death released them from this misery. She was one of them, forced to wait for a cruel, bitter end that seemed to never come.

Screams, everywhere she heard screams. Flesh, burning flesh, rotting flesh filled her nostrils, but she was used to it by now. At first it kept her awake. Now, it was just another smell.

Fire had once been her friend. Water had once been her friend. Now she cringed at the sight. Her friends were gone. The fire burned her, the water poisoned her. The earth, more than once had threatened to crumble under her feet or crush her. The light had disappeared, leaving the world in darkness as the thick, black and red clouds covered the sun. Even the air threatened to kill her sometimes as it carried the smoke from the fire into her lungs, burning her from the inside and leaving her blind to what would come next.

And the forest. She hadn't seen any sign of the forest in years. No trees, no flowers, no plants, not even a weed would sprout up from the ground anymore. Even the forest had left her after swearing it wouldn't. She remembered the forest's final breath screaming her name: but it was only a distant memory now.

He walked by her. Xandred. As she worked for him, doing any menial job he asked of her, he marched around and watched and beat savagely into those who didn't work, or didn't work hard enough. It was a punishment because he rarely beat them to death. Instead, he beat them inches from life and forced them to continue working. It was best just to do as he asked. It was easier to work. As he walked by, she locked eyes with him. She knew he remembered her. He would never forget her face, and he would never forget how she and her family and all the other Samurai and their friends had fought against him for years, trapping him within his own world, making his rise to power so much more complicated than it needed to be. He knew exactly who she was, and for that reason he wouldn't kill her. Her eyes begged he let her go but he turned away and ordered for a Mooger to get her back on task. Feeling the pain of the whip as it struck her back, she screamed.

Emily screamed and sat upright in her bed. Her eyes were screwed shut. She couldn't see or feel anything for a moment until something wrapped around her. Something soft and warm. She hugged it and knew instantly it was Mike.

"Shh," he whispered as he held her gently and rocked her soothingly from side to side, "It's okay. You're okay. You're safe now. You're home. It was just a dream."

Emily shook her head. It was more than just a dream: it was a possibility. If the Samurai couldn't win Emily knew she would be forced to face that future.

"Xandred…" Emily muttered in Mike's ear, "the ocean, the beach… everything…"

"We know," Mike told her. "The map…"

"No," Emily shook her head and started to cry. She was truly terrified and desperate to win, but she had been face to face with Xandred. She had seen his power, she knew of his rage. She had suffered first hand. He hadn't been smart enough to hold her and Kevin on his ship for long, but he had certainly left his mark on her. He was not to be messed with. The Samurai were fools for thinking he could be stopped.

But he needed to be stopped. That was the worst part. The only way to prevent her dream coming true was to fight him. It was to risk pissing him off and risk whatever cruel fate he had in mind for those who sought his destruction. If they couldn't win, they were all damned.

"It's worse than it looks," Emily whispered between sobs. Mike hugged her a little closer.

"Is that where you were?" he asked. Kevin hadn't woken up yet, and the others hadn't gotten an answer from him or Emily before they passed out. Judging by Emily's words now, he could only assume that was where they had disappeared too.

"He's on Earth. He's strong, Mike."

"We're stronger, I promise," he set her back down into the bed and tapped the spot beside her pillow. Storm jumped up and nestled gently in Emily's arms. Mike gave her a kiss, "I'm going to check up on Kevin and Mia. I'll be right back."

Emily hugged her dog close to her chest and rolled over. She felt weak. She felt so weak.

-Samurai-

Mike hadn't wanted to leave Emily's side, seeing the terror in her eyes, but he had to check up on Mia and Kevin. The rest of the house was trying to come up with a way to fight Xandred and get rid of him quickly, leaving Mike to care for his injured teammates.

Kevin was still sound asleep and he looked like he needed it. Mike wasn't sure what exactly had happened, but he had been told by Emily that they had been with Xandred. Even if it had only been for a few moments, that was still too long. Mike couldn't imagine going head to head with the big bad without his entire team to support him. Kevin and Emily were both strong, but Xandred…

Xandred gave Mike nightmares.

He walked into Mia and Kevin's bedroom. Mia was wide awake and had a little more energy now that when she had first woken up. She was still confined to her bed until her injuries healed up a little more, but she was definitely bouncing back (well, as much as possible given what had happened. She had shared her story with Mike. It also gave him nightmares).

She lay in bed, watching Kevin as he slept. She had her suspicions, like everyone, of where he had been and was worried that what had happened to him had been her fault. She had been the one to break Dayu's Shamisen, that action alone had unleashed so much misery into the world that Xandred had come back, stronger than before, and he had apparently brought the Netherworld with him. Mia hadn't seen it on the map, never mind in person, but her friends wouldn't lie about that. She looked to Mike, seeing him approaching the bed and his eyes said it all. Xandred. Mia took Kevin's hand, gently tracing a scar on his wrist with her thumb.

"Everything's going to be fine," he assured her. "We're all where we need to be. We're together. We're home. Xandred's going down. This is just… what it takes."

"Mike…"

"Don't," Mike shook his head, "Mia, please don't give up. Please don't cry. Please don't give up. I'm not the team's cheerleader. I'm not the glue. I'm scared too. But we're going to beat this guy, just like we've beat every other Nighlok before. Please believe that."

Mia looked to him and then sat up. She nodded her head slowly, "I do… I guess I do. I just…"

"You didn't do anything wrong, Mia. Nothing none of us wouldn't have done. You had no idea Dayu would do that."

"She tricked me again! The whole world could end because I let her beat me."

"Don't let it. The way you described it, Dayu died to be with Dekker, yeah, but she also died to help Xandred and the Nighlok kick our butts. Are you seriously going to roll over and let her?"

"No."

"She's gone, Mia. You'll get the last laugh. You'll get justice for your father, and for everyone Dayu and the Nighlok have ever wronged. Don't let this beat you. You're tougher than that," Mike gestured to Kevin, "Look, Xandred's tough, but he's not perfect if Kevin and Emily managed to escape."

"What if he let them go? He let me go."

"He let you go with a message. Emily didn't tell me anything. They escaped, I know they did. And because they did, Xandred's got a weakness. He's not perfect. Somehow he can be stopped. We've got the Sealing Symbol. We've got a strong team, right?"

Mia nodded her head slowly. Mike cracked a smile.

"We're going to win. You have to believe that. If you don't, we're screwed. C'mon, Momma Pink, where's that take no shit attitude?"

Mia gave Mike a little smirk, letting him know she would be okay.

"Momma Pink is already thinking of several different ways of ending Xandred's pathetic life. My dad's dead, my little sister and my husband just suffered at his hands. Yeah, he's not getting off the hook that easily."

Mike let out a little laugh, "Maybe I can be the team cheerleader."

Mia frowned, "Yeah, just don't go wearing a skirt."

"Promise," Mike chuckled and then pointed to Kevin, "You got things in here? I'll be back to check up on you once Emily's asleep. It might be a while, though. Nightmares. You know."

Mia nodded her head and bit her lip. She looked down at Kevin who was still sleeping soundly and then up at Mike.

"Think you can move him?"

"Why?"

"We're strongest together," Mia answered and slowly crawled out of bed, trying not to aggravate her wounds. She walked out of the room, leaving Mike with dead-weight Kevin. Carefully, the green Ranger lifted his blue brother from the bed.

"Dude, you eat vegetables for dessert and you're still a fat-ass," he groaned, "Start eating chips, dude. It's not worth it."

Down the hall, Mia knocked on Emily's door and heard a whimper. She let herself in, taking that as a invite, but when she opened the door she saw it wasn't Emily whimpering. It was Storm. Emily was fast-asleep, and though Mia couldn't tell, Storm was sure her mistress was having a nightmare.

Knowing Mike would be a bit behind, having to carry Kevin from one room to the other, Mia took it upon herself to wake Emily up. The yellow Ranger's eyes shot open in pure panic and she jumped up and into Mia's arms, hugging her tight.

"Take a deep breath, Emily; we're going to be okay."

"N-not if he wins. If he wins… he won't let me die."

"Is that your nightmare?"

"He won't let me go. He likes the misery. He likes the revenge."

"We're not going to let him hurt us, Emily. You're not going to let him win," Mia looked Emily right in the eyes, trying to get her to focus. She had been face to face with Xandred too, and it had terrified her, but Mike was right, she couldn't give up, "We're Samurai. We'll fight Xandred until we're dead. Nothing he does will stop us from fighting."

"He won't let me die. He won, Mia! The world is his. Everyone blames the Rangers. There's no one left."

"You're not giving up," Mia squeezed Emily's arms, letting her know she wasn't messing around in the slightest. "If you're the last one left, you give it all you've got. You fight, do you hear me?"

"No…"

"Stop it."

"He's hurting me."

"We're not going to let him. You're not going to let him. Dry your eyes, Emily, we're going to fight. We're going to win."

Emily did as she was told, and wiped away her tears with her sleeve. She looked up at Mia sadly. Mia shook her head.

"You're stronger than this, Emily. We're all scared. We're all worried. Now's the time to toughen up. We still have the Sealing Symbol. Xandred's one Nighlok. We're an army."

Emily nodded her head and wrapped her arms around Mia for a moment until Mike came into the room. After he set Kevin down, he and Mia switched places. Mia went to sit with her fiancé while Mike took Emily in his arms and kissed the top of her head.

"Everything's going to work out," he promised her. "We're a bunch of hard-headed freaks. Xandred's got no idea who he's messing with. And with Lauren and the Symbol Power, we're golden. We're going to be okay. Write that down, someone. Mike's the first to say we're going to be okay. I'm so going to rub it in your faces for the rest of our lives."

"Our long lives," Mia said and she gave Kevin's hand a little squeeze. Both Mike and Mia then turned to look at Emily. It took her a minute but she finally nodded her head.

"Fight," she said. "Fight until the very end."

"Atta girl," Mike gave her a little hug and then he let her get comfortable in his arms. Kevin was already asleep, and now surrounded by her friends, and remembering there was no giving up as a Samurai, Emily felt comfortable enough to go to sleep. She was still terrified, but she couldn't let that stop her.

Mia was next to go. Mike smiled as he watched them sleep. Even Storm had curled up between all the warm bodies and looked ready to pass out. Mike draped a blanket over all of them, gave Emily a kiss and then quietly stepped out of the room. He walked down to the common room, where Serena, Jayden, Antonio, Lauren, Kate, and Ji were working hard to figure out the next move.

"What's it looking like?" he asked.

"We've got a solid plan," Lauren said, "We'll discuss it again once the others are up. If were doing this, I want everyone to agree to it."

"I'm sure…"

"Personally," Lauren interrupted Mike and shook her head, "I want to hear it from them. It's risky."

"Give them a few hours to rest," Mike said as he sat down, "Then they'll be ready to tell you they're on board. I know I am; whatever it means. I want Xandred gone at all costs."


	70. Disappearing Act

Emily woke from another nightmare and found her side of the bed was drenched in sweat. Mike was lying next to her, dead to the world like he always was when he slept and Mia and Kevin had gone back to their room. It was the middle of the night and Emily was alone.

She got up from her bed and her whole body trembled from panic and pain as she made her way to the bathroom for a quick shower. She would fight the Nighlok when they came, but until they were all gone and the world was at peace, nothing could chase away her nightmares. Seeing the Netherworld with her own eyes, actually being on the ship and being left alone with Xandred had really done a number on her. Given the way she felt now, she wasn't even sure world peace would put her mind at ease.

She had been too young to remember her mother coming home from the war, but Serena and her father had occasionally mentioned her mother having nightmares. Ellie would wake up screaming in the middle of the night for nearly a year after coming home. Some nights, she wouldn't go to bed, too scared of the nightmares. Emily didn't know how her mother had dealt with it, or if she really had. If Serena's illness had taught her anything, it was that her family was pretty good at hiding secrets.

She finished her shower, changed into a different pair of pyjamas and stepped outside the house. Something about outside had changed. Though she couldn't see the Netherworld from where she stood, she could feel it. The air had changed. Already it was a little harder to breathe, just like in her dream. The air hurt her.

"Emily, you're going to freeze," a worried voice called out to her before a sweater was draped over her shoulders. Emily looked over as Lauren stood beside her, "I heard your scream from the dojo."

"From the dojo?"

Lauren nodded slowly, "I couldn't sleep. After what Xandred did to you, Mia, and Kevin I know I have to seal him away. It's a lot of pressure."

"You can do it, right?"

"You know I'm going to try my best," Lauren answered. "I've spent my entire life training for this. If there's one thing I'll get right, it's the Sealing Symbol. You and the others just need to buy me time. Keep Xandred distracted for me."

"For how long?"

"I'll move as fast as I can, but the Symbol takes concentration, precision. If I don't do it right…"

"It'll kill you. Like it killed your dad?"

"It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make."

Emily shook her head and leaned into Lauren, wrapping herself in the red Ranger's arms, "We'll be okay. Take your time. We don't want to lose you."

"Emily…" Lauren looked down at Emily in her arms and then sighed and hugged her. She didn't know when it had happened, but it had. She was officially part of the family. She kissed the top of Emily's head and then stood up, "Want to help me practice?"

"Now?"

"Why not?" Lauren smiled, "Go find something, I'll seal it away in the Netherworld."

"You can seal anything away?"

"Yep. Go find something. Something we don't need."

Emily tried to come up with something and then rushed into the house. When she came back she had couple bonsai in her hand and Kevin's precious scale. The blue Ranger used the scale to keep fit for his Samurai training. Literally, he enjoyed a well-balanced meal. Emily couldn't see him needing the scale in the future. For now, there was no time to sit around and weigh out every ounce of his food. After the big war, Kevin would either be dead and wouldn't need to eat, or Xandred would be gone for good, and Kevin could give up on his crazy Samurai diet.

Emily also thought it would be funny to see him look around the house for his scale. He was always funny when he lost something.

And Ji's bonsai, well the older man had enough of them lying around.

Lauren shook her head, understanding the significance of the items Emily had grabbed, "You know they're going to kill you, right?"

"They can't. If there's anything I've learned in my time here with them, they all think I'm too cute. Do the scale first!"

Emily set the scale on the grass and then stood behind Lauren, not wanting to accidentally be hit by her Symbol and returned to the Netherworld. She had been there once. She refused to go back.

"Inanimate objects are a little easier. Xandred's going to be much harder than this, but my training will help with the precision of the Symbol," Lauren explained as she started to trace the Seal, "If I do it properly, you'll see the scale disappear. It won't be permanent, but if I can seal the Netherworld away, Xandred and all the Nighlok will be trapped there forever, unable to escape, unable to ever step foot on Earth. Their dreams of conquering out world will never come true."

Lauren made the Symbol and the scale disappeared; and it looked like it had almost exploded before vanishing. Emily's eyes were wide in shock.

"You… you really can do it."

"I wouldn't be here if I couldn't," Lauren assured her.

"Once we're done with the Nighlok, any chance you can help me with a few bullies back home?"

"We'll talk," Lauren chuckled. "Bonsai?"

Emily set the bonsai on the grass and watched again as Lauren made it disappear, "You're like a magician."

"Xandred's going to be so much harder," Lauren reminded Emily, "but does this help you? Now that you know I've got it?"

"We just have to hold Xandred off, right? There's a chance we will all come out of this alive?"

"Yeah," Lauren promised. "We're all going to be fine."

"And you're not just saying that, are you?"

"Definitely not."

"Promise?"

"Emily, I promise," Lauren chuckled and nodded her head. Emily still wasn't satisfied and held out her pinky. Lauren stared at it, "What?"

Emily rolled her eyes and grabbed Lauren's hand. She wrapped her pink around Lauren's, "It's a pinky promise. The most unbreakable of promises. Some people think it's stupid, but I still believe in them."

"Alright, I pinky promise everything is going to be okay."

"You can't go back on it."

"I won't."

Emily smiled and set another bonsai in the grass, "Do it again."

Lauren laughed and shook her head. Though this reminded her a lot of her training, with her sensei forcing her to repeat the same task over and over again, this one was fun. Her sensei rarely smiled when she did something right. They were rarely excited. In fact, Lauren hadn't seen anything close to real excitement until she came to the Shiba House. The Samurai, her family was so full of life and excitement, and even though things were growing dark there was still a little joy left. She made another bonsai disappear and heard Emily giggling and then couldn't stop herself from joining along. Sealing Symbol training needed to be taken seriously, but it was a little funny watching things suddenly disappear.

"You know what you should have practiced on?" Emily said. "Terran's diapers. Instead of polluting our world, we could have just express delivered them right to Xandred."

Lauren chuckled, "Could you imagine his ship filling up with all those diapers?"

"And he has no idea where they're coming from," Emily nodded her head and had on a big smile.

"That would be funny," Lauren then gestured inside, "We should probably go back to bed."

"But I'm not… tired," Emily said as she yawned.

"What if we read a few more of those kid books?"

"If we're quiet, we can sneak into Mia's room and steal her princess DVDs. You'll love them."

"They have fairy tale movies?"

"All the joys of reading, without the stupid reading part," Emily nodded her head and grabbed Lauren's arm, pulling her inside, "C'mon, I'll show you, but first you have to pick: Snow White or Cinderella?"


	71. Ready Or Not Here He Comes

Lauren and Emily weren't the only two who couldn't sleep. While they watched princess movies in the common room, Serena hid out in the hallway. She sat on the floor, listening as Lauren and Emily whispered back and forth to each other. Emily would explain the princess movies, and why things happened the way they did, while Lauren would ask a bunch of questions about the talking animals, the dwarfs, and all the spontaneous singing. Disney did a lot of spontaneous singing.

They were having a good time, and making the most of their worries to bond. It would have warmed Serena's heart. Emily, her little sister, was bonding with the new girl, the one Serena had taken under her wing, the one who, until very recently, hadn't had a single friend in her life. And they were confident about the world, supporting the idea that it could be saved, in spite of everything that went against that belief. Serena had hope, but it was an uphill battle. Xandred was worse than any Nighlok they had ever faced before – that was why he was King. That was why they all called him Master.

It was why Serena had sent James and Terran away. The loves of her life, the reasons she got up every morning, the reasons she smiled. Xandred would be coming after her first, but nothing would stop him from tearing apart her husband and her son. Nothing would stop him from using them to get to her. She had to believe they were safe, but anything could have happened to them.

For all she knew, they could already be dead.

For all she knew, she would never see them again. The uphill battle meant it was likely she got hurt – very hurt. She would do anything to save the world, even if it meant putting her own life in harm's way, but it didn't mean she had to like it. Never seeing her son or husband again would tear her to pieces.

"_MAMA!"_ her baby boy's voice screamed for her as he was carried out the door and away from her. It was to keep him safe, and though he wouldn't remember this day, it would stay with him forever. Serena had to make it worth the pain. She had to make it so Terran would one day understand. If he survived and she didn't she wanted to at least leave him in a world where he could grow up safe and happy.

And if he couldn't make it, if his and James' road was too rough, or if she and the Samurai did fail… Serena couldn't imagine it.

In a perfect world, this would be the time James would come down the hall, see her crying, and with a few magic words he would convince her everything was okay. He would take her in his arms and carry her back to the bedroom. He would even make her laugh a couple of times, or roll her eyes. She would see her precious boy sleeping in his crib as James set her down in bed and wrapped her up in his arms. James would make her feel safe and warm. She had no idea how he did it, but he could always make her feel safe and warm.

For now he was gone. She couldn't call him, she couldn't depend on him. She had to fight this war and hope for the best.

She wasn't very good with hope. She had stay strong though her illness, but not for her own sake. Her sister needed her back then, her parents couldn't lose her. Serena's hope and her strength had come from them and had been for them.

On her own she was weak. She felt it now more than ever. She was a scared, weak, little girl who needed others to keep her propped up. She was pathetic.

She heard something and looked up. Her pity party had tuned her out from the world and she hadn't noticed Storm sit down across from her in the hall. The dog was staring at her, with her head slightly tilted to the side. Serena gave the small dog a little nod and Storm rushed over, jumping into her lap enthusiastically and then cuddled with her.

Serena never understood how animals did it. Not only did it seem they could understand their own species, and other species of animals, but sometimes it was like they could understand humans better than any human could understand themselves. Storm knew, before Serena did, that all she really needed was a nice, warm hug, and the dog was only too happy to oblige.

"You think they're going to be okay, right?" Serena asked. Storm wriggled around so she lay in Serena's lap with her belly up. Serena happily started to rub her stomach. "When this is over, I'm going to buy you the biggest dog bone you've ever seen!"

Storm's eyes seemed to widen, but that was likely because Serena was excellent with belly rubs.

"I have to do what I can," Serena said to the dog. "James can take care of himself, and I trust him with Terran. They'll be fine. I've got to believe they'll be…"

Though there wasn't much power being used in the middle of the night, the lack of it was still obvious. The light from the common room switched off, and the movie Emily and Lauren had fallen asleep to while watching suddenly shut off, as did the TV and the blue-ray player. Serena hugged Storm in her arms and got up. She walked to the window and opened the curtain just a little bit. There was no reason the Shiba House would suddenly lose power – it had to be caused by something else. Something from outside.

Serena almost dropped Storm when she saw what had caused the power failure. The sky was a dark red – the colour of blood – and a red smoke was rising up into the air. Trees in the distance were coming down and Serena could smell the stench of the Netherworld.

"It's getting worse," she whispered to Storm and then looked over her shoulder at Emily and Lauren. Panic overwhelmed her. She left them sleeping but raced to Ji and Kate's bedroom. She dropped Storm on their bed and shook her aunt awake. "You need to run too."

"Serena, it's…" Kate turned to her clock but saw it wasn't working, "What happened to the power?"

"You have to get out of here."

Kate sat up and looked to Ji and then to her niece, "Serena, I've talked this over with Ji and…"

"You're only here to protect Emily and me, but there's nothing more you can do to protect us. I'm not letting you stay here. I'm not putting you at risk."

Kate reached out to take Serena's hands, "Sweetheart, you're not doing anything. I know the risks. I know what I'm facing. I'm not running away."

Serena fell to her knees beside the bed, "Aunt Kate, please. You can't stay here."

"Serena…"

Ji placed his hand on Kate's shoulder. They had talked and Kate wanted to stay, but Ji was also concerned for her safety. Though she had been asked to help, her job had technically ended long ago. She had to protect the future generation of yellow Rangers and ensure there was a yellow Ranger to call upon to serve the Shiba Family. The day Emily arrived to the house was the day Kate's duties had come to an end.

Ji knew that. Kate knew that. But her duties as an aunt were everlasting. That was her reason for staying.

Ji had another argument against her, though, and it only occurred to him now as he watched Serena beg for her aunt to run to safety.

"Your duty has begun once more," he told her, "If the Samurai fail…"

"They aren't going to fail," Kate turned around and looked at Ji. She turned back to Serena, "We're not failing. We're going to be okay."

"Terran needs to be protected. Our goal is to seal Xandred away for good. I am also confident we can do it, but there are many things that could go wrong. Terran must be protected, and that responsibility falls on your shoulders."

Serena nodded her head, "There's nothing you can do for Emily and me," she said. "Please go, Aunt Kate."

"You have to be kidding me," Kate groaned. She threw the blankets off and got out of bed. Ji got up with her. Serena sat on the floor and Storm jumped back into her lap.

Kate paced the room, "I'm not leaving."

"When you took this job," Ji told her, "You swore your life to serve the Samurai; to serve the Earth Clan. Serena is asking you to protect yourself, and I am asking you to make sure we've got one more Samurai ready to fight if we need him."

"Terran is not fighting in this war!" Kate shouted.

Ji shook his head, "No, but if what happened last time happens again, if for some reason Lauren cannot complete the Symbol…"

"She can do it!"

"This is war, Kate!" Ji shouted and smashed his fist into the desk, "This is war and you have a responsibility. We need to put our emotions aside and do what is best."

"Says the man who's only sending me away to keep me safe."

"What I want happens to be what the world needs," Ji told her and then he pulled her in for a kiss, "I love you, Kate."

Kate pulled away from Ji with tears in her eyes. As she tried not to look at him or Serena, Ji walked to the closet and pulled out a bag. He put it in her hands and then gave her another kiss, this time on the cheek.

"We will see each other again," he promised her.

"Fine," Kate nodded. She put the bag on her back and then looked down at Serena, "Sweetheart…"

Serena got up and put Storm in her aunt's arms, "Emily would be devastated if anything happened to her. Promise you'll protect her too?"

"Of course," Kate pulled Serena into a strong embrace, "I'm so proud of you. No matter what happens, I know you won't let me down."

"Thanks," Serena said and then pulled away. Kate turned to Ji. She wasn't happy with him, but there was no time for that. She gave Storm back to Serena for just a moment to give Ji a proper goodbye.

"Don't do anything stupid," she told him. "You're a mentor, not a Ranger. Please stay safe, Ji. And keep them safe. All of them."

"I will do my absolute best," Ji nodded and finally gave Kate a proper kiss, "We will see each other soon, but for now you need to get as far inland as you can. If Xandred's taken over the waters, the further away you are from the coast, from any coast, the safer you will be. When he is gone, when it is safe to return, I'll send you a message."

"How will…"

"It will get to you, and you will know when it does," Ji promised.

"The back exit faces east," Serena said, "It's your best shot at getting out of here. Please find James and Terran."

"You know they'll be safe," Kate gave Ji one final kiss, took Storm from Serena's arms and hurried off.

Serena turned to Ji with a worried look in her eyes. He shook his head, "I meant everything I said."

Serena pointed out the door, down the hall to the common room, "There's something you need to see."

"Serena…"

"Just come with me. Not too loud, I don't want to wake them up just yet."

Ji nodded his head and followed Serena out the door. She walked him through the dark to the common room and right up to the window. She opened the curtain only slightly and let him peek out. Ji looked for a moment and then turned to Serena.

"We cannot wait much longer."

"Are we ready?"

"From the looks of things, it does not matter."


	72. The Final Battle Part I

_Author's Note: So, I've done the math (because this series has so many stories, and even more chapters) and as it turns out, this chapter is number 1008 in the Way of the Samurai Series. Chapter 64: Dayu's Challenge, was officially my 1000th chapter and the very first time I've reached that milestone for a series._

_So, it is late, but I would like to thank everyone for supporting me for the last (almost) two years, and an even bigger thank you to the people who have been following me from the very beginning (when I wasn't as good a writer and you still put up with me :))._

_As a thank you to those loyal followers - and if they want it (you have to let me know), they will get a teaser for an upcoming chapter (seriously, a_ tease_r). Just a reminder, I cannot reply to anonymous reviews so unfortunately I'm going to have to leave you out of that one._

_Again, a big** thank you** to everyone's who has followed and supported me! You're all amazing!_

Ji called a meeting, pulling the Rangers from their sleep. They needed their rest, especially with the biggest battle of their lives looming over them, but they no longer had the time. Misery was spreading far and wide and so was the Netherworld. It needed to be stopped before it and the Nighlok residing there got stronger. He explained it quickly to the Rangers, but they already knew what to do. Lauren made one final promise to the team that she would be able to use the Seal on Xandred, while at the same time reminding them it wouldn't be instant. She needed the other Samurai to look out for her and keep Xandred distracted while she focused everything she had on getting the Sealing Symbol done properly.

"You can do it," Kevin smiled at her confidently. "There's no one we trust more to get the job done."

"Thank you," Lauren nodded her head and stood up. She led the team out of the house except for Serena. Jayden grabbed her by the arm and held her back for a moment.

"Xandred's going to know," Jayden whispered. "He's not going to let her…"

"Jay, she'll be fine. They'll all be fine," Serena promised. "They're coming home, even if I have to seal Xandred away myself."

Jayden gave her a little nod and released her arm. As he let her and the team go off to battle, he sunk back into his stool. He had always known Lauren would show up in time to lead the team in their final battle, but he couldn't help wish he was there with her, with Antonio, with all of them. They meant so much to him and he wasn't used to sitting on the sidelines and waiting for something to happen. Though he had always hated having their lives in his hands, it was something he missed. At the very least, when he had been leader he had been in control. If they failed it was his fault, but he could do everything to make sure they didn't.

Now, he just had to wait and hope. Ji put his hand on his shoulder to comfort his son.

"We have done all we can for them."

"It doesn't feel like enough," Jayden got up and walked to the dojo, "We're never finding a better family, Ji. If something happens… I just can't think about it."

-Samurai-

"Dude…" Mike kicked away a few red rocks and had a look around. They were nowhere near the beach, but the Netherworld was spreading into the forest. The Rangers couldn't wait for Xandred to come out and so they had gone to him and his world in hopes that they could speed things up just a little bit.

"Can you still perform the Sealing Symbol here?" Serena asked Lauren and the red Ranger shook her head.

"Anywhere Xandred is."

"And he'll explode like Kevin's scale?" Emily giggled slightly and glanced at Kevin for just a quick moment. He turned to her.

"My what? What did you do with my scale?"

"After this, we won't be Samurai anymore," Emily backed up, covering herself slightly behind Mia, "I mean, your Samurai diet is crazy, even for a Samurai. For a regular person…"

"You owe me," Kevin pointed the finger at her just before the ground shook, capturing everyone's attention as they turned around.

Master Xandred was huge and he was terrifying. All the Nighlok the Rangers had faced before, all the nightmares they had ever had about this moment couldn't compare.

Subtly, Lauren slipped the Black Box and the Shark Disk in Kevin and Mike's hands respectively.

"Hold him off. Give it all you can. The seal is going to take a little while."

"We've got your back," Mike grinned and powered up on the spot. He stepped forward, "This ends now, Xandred!"

"You think you can stop me?" Xandred laughed loudly and the Rangers could feel the ground trembling.

"Remember guys, we protect Lauren," Kevin looked to the team, already aware that it was up to him to lead them while Lauren worked on the seal. He gave her a nod and she raced off, trying to find somewhere nearby but high up to perform her life's work. She needed to do all she could to make Xandred's attempts at stopping her a lot more difficult. From a high point, she could see everything that was going on in the battle and she would have better aim at Xandred once the Sealing Symbol was drawn.

Leaving her team behind, she scaled the side of a cliff until she made it to the top. She could hear swords clashing and her friend's cries. They were doing well but Xandred was tough. As she got to the top she saw him take down Antonio. She worried for the gold Ranger, but the Samurai had been doing this together for two years. Looking down, watching how they worked together to protect each other and to weaken and slow Xandred as much as they could, she couldn't help but admire their teamwork, their friendship, and their dedication. It was no wonder they were a family. It was a wonder they had taken her in and accepted her as quickly as they had. She owed it to them to make these last two years of their lives worth it. All the pain they had suffered, the loss, the fear, the sacrifices they had made – it all needed to be worth it.

And her father. He had sacrificed his own life for this very moment. He had put all his hope on her, trusting her to do what he had failed to do. At times she had hated him for all the pressure he had put on her, but he was her father and she missed and loved him dearly.

"This is for you, father," she said as she held out her Samuraizer and began the first stroke. She was momentarily distracted as Xandred knocked all the Rangers down at once but she remembered her mission. No matter what she had to keep focusing on the Sealing Symbol.

Nothing else matter.

She used every ounce of strength she had in every stroke. Though she had played around with the Sealing Symbol earlier in the yard with Emily, it was always serious business. Unlike Kevin's scale or Ji's bonsai, Xandred had a lot of power – and it would take a lot more to put him in his place. She remembered the way Emily smiled the first time she saw the Sealing Symbol work and when she realized, at that point, that defeating Xandred was a possibility. Lauren couldn't let her down. She couldn't let the team down. As she approached the final stroke she thought of them and it gave her a little more strength.

Then her thought strayed to her brother who for two years had led team and for longer than that the responsibility of the red Ranger had fallen on his shoulders. Watching the Rangers now, she was worried for their safety and well-being, especially as they continued to take hit after hit for her. She couldn't imagine what Jayden had suffered through. His team had led him faithfully in spite of a lie. Watching them put themselves in harm's way for him, knowing he was no different than they were must have been the worst pain possible. Lauren didn't like the idea of hiding behind her team, but at the least she had a reason for it. Jayden never did.

The final stroke she did for her brother and then she stared at her completed work. It was the biggest, brightest, strongest Symbol she had ever created and she couldn't stop herself from smiling. Everything up until now had all been for this moment and she was thrilled she hadn't let anyone down.

Exhaustion overcame her, but her job still wasn't done. Xandred was beating into the Rangers mercilessly. Lauren heard their screams and knew they were just moments away from victory. They didn't need to hold out for her any longer. With everything she had left she aimed the Symbol and shot it right at Xandred. As it hit him square in the chest and blasted him back into the cliff behind him, Lauren dropped to her knees. Worth it; it was all worth it.

Then she looked down. The Netherworld was still exactly where it had been before the Sealing Symbol. It, along with Xandred should have started to sink back down to where it belonged, leaving the Earth to recover from this devastating appearance. Before Lauren could ask herself why, the cliff she had thrown Xandred into with the Symbol explode.

The whole cliff reduced to nothing but stones and dust that flew out at the Rangers, knocking them off their feet and burying them under rubble just as they had been about to celebrate. Lauren looked down and screamed loudly – how could her friends survive that one?

"You!" a roaring voice boomed, shaking the ground she was standing on before it all crumbled beneath her. Lauren fell from the cliff top and did all she could to stay alive. She had no energy left inside of her to perform the Sealing Symbol again, but at least if she survived there could be another time. There was still hope.

Xandred appeared before her and grabbed her by the neck. He pulled her up to her feet and laughed in her face. Lauren struggled to free herself but it was no use. Xandred did look a little worn down, but he still had enough energy to explode a mountain. Meanwhile, Lauren barely had enough to fall off one. The imbalance of power was unfair and if Xandred wanted (which she was sure he did) he could kill her right there.

And he did. He almost did. He threw her to the ground and as he was about to plunge his sword through her, something smacked him hard in the face. He staggered back and something hit him again. Rocks. Lauren saw they were rocks. She turned around and had just enough time to cover her head as the mountain that had been dropped on the Samurai suddenly came towards her. It soared over her head, though, and went right for Xandred. Lauren peeked up slightly hearing Xandred's cry and saw boots racing past her.

White boots.

"Serena, NO!"

"Go home now!" Serena shouted as she took on Xandred by herself. Lauren wanted to get up to help her but she couldn't. She was trapped on the ground and forced to watch only for a moment. Two pairs of hands grabbed her arms and pulled her up on her feet. She let out a cry of pain but never took her eyes off the battle.

"She'll be right behind us," Kevin assured Lauren as he and Antonio helped her get away.

No matter how far they dragged her away, Lauren couldn't tear her eyes off the battle sight. Eventually they were deep in the forest, with Mike, Mia, and Emily joining moments after her.

Lauren was set down. All the Rangers were hurt, but for some reason she took priority. Lauren couldn't look any of them in the eye as they patched her up. She even refused to cry out in pain when they moved her arm, only to discover it was broken.

She had failed. She had let them all down, and as time ticked away slowly, she realized more and more just how much she had failed.

"We need to head home," Kevin announced, taking the lead for now.

"Serena said she would be right behind us," Emily shook her head.

"And we can't wait for her," Kevin stated firmly as he and Antonio helped Lauren up. He looked to the yellow Ranger, "I'm sorry, Emily."

"No!" Emily tried to run back. Mike and Mia had to grab her and Mike knew he had no choice but to throw her over his shoulder. Given the chance, she was going to run. As many people as possible needed to make it back to the Shiba House. If they still had the numbers they still had hope for a round two. Emily let out a piercing scream.

Lauren lowered her head and tried to block it all out. She had let them all down.


	73. Brute Force

Lauren looked down at the cast on her arm. She had broken it and had injured many other parts of her body.

She still didn't have as many scars as the other Samurai.

Two years. For two years they had put themselves in danger, sufferer through a war, and though they didn't always know it, they had fought to protect her so she could master the Sealing Symbol and one day seal Xandred and the Netherworld away for good. They had done more than what had been asked of them, and they had suffered far too much just to see their half of the mission through. The least she could do to return the favour was make it all worth the while.

For some reason, the Sealing Symbol had failed. Master Xandred was still walking the Earth, and if gut feelings were anything to go by, the Netherworld was spreading.

She had disappointed everyone: the samurai, Mentor Ji, her brother, and most of all her father. He gave his life for her to do one thing and she couldn't even do it. Tears slipped down her cheeks.

Even worse than that, her failure had already started to cost not just her, but her team as well. They were one short. Serena had saved her from Xandred, sparing her life by sacrificing her own. She bought Lauren and the team a little time to get away and recover. She had promised she would be right behind them but it had been hours and Serena hadn't turned up.

Lauren could only think of one reason.

Jayden came back inside the house. The supplies he was carrying looked like they hadn't been used at all. He looked to Lauren sadly and shook his head. He walked to the common room. Mike, Mia, Kevin, and Antonio sat on their stools, bandaged up, and looking down at their hands. Not a word was spoken. Ji cleaned up the bloody towels, bandages and used tools.

Jayden set his supplies on the table and turned back to Lauren. She gestured for him to follow her and they stepped outside. Lauren took a seat on the steps. Jayden sat next to her. She looked out to the gates and then to her brother.

"She won't be listening," he told her. "We can speak privately."

She let out a heavy sigh, "Jayden, I'm so sorry…"

"I should have known," Jayden shook his head and took her good hand gently. "First plans never work."

"It's all been for nothing," Lauren whispered. "All my training, dad's sacrifice, you leading the team… the Sealing Symbol didn't work. I've let everyone down."

"We'll bounce back."

"No," Lauren looked up at the sky. Above the Shiba House the stars were out and shining brightly, but a little ways off she could see the thick, red clouds. The clouds of the Netherworld. They were fast approaching. The Samurai had maybe a few days before the Netherworld reached the house. "If we can't seal Xandred away, what are we going to do? He's too powerful."

"We fight. We fight until the very end. Kevin told me Xandred looked weakened."

"Yeah, he did," Lauren nodded her head and remembered when he had been about to kill her. She had seen it too, he had been tired. "But I didn't seal him away."

"But the Symbol did something. We have to believe that's enough," Jayden said. Lauren turned to him and was about to say something but didn't. She looked down at the grass.

"I'm sorry. For everything I've done. For everything I've put you and the team through. You guys have been nothing short of amazing and…"

"Don't be sorry, Lauren. You did everything you could. It's not your fault it didn't work."

"But I let everyone down."

"So help them back up again. I know it looks tough, but it is doable. As leader, you need to…"

"I'm not a leader," Lauren shook her head. "I've spent so long practicing the Sealing Symbol, but no one's ever trained me to lead a team. You know what you're doing."

"Lauren, you can't give up now."

"Why? Jayden, are you listening to yourself? You're the leader here, not me. You know what you're doing. Why am I in charge? Why does it have to be me?"

"Because you're the red Ranger…"

"That's just a colour!" Lauren snapped and shouted. "And Shiba, that's just a last name! Why do I have to be in charge? Because I have the Sealing Power? That makes me better than everyone else? You weren't there, Jayden, you didn't see how badly I failed. Who am I to lead?"

"Lauren…"

"You're a leader, Jayden. You're their leader, and it's not because you're a Shiba or because you're the red guy. You're the leader because that's who you are."

Lauren reached into her pocket and pulled out the Lion Zord, "I've let the team down once already. I'm not going to do it again. You guys have let me in, you've taken care of me, you've treated me like family. You've tried to do what's best for me. I need to do the same. Maybe my one good move as a leader is to give it up. The title of red Ranger, the person who will lead the Samurai to victory should be and will be you."

She placed the Lion in Jayden's hand and gave him a smile, "You are the man."

Jayden smiled and pulled his sister in for a hug, "I'm not going to let you down."

When he broke away from the hug he put his hand on her shoulder and gestured to the house. They both stepped inside and walked into the common room. Lauren took a seat at the head of the table. Jayden stood behind her. He gave her shoulders a comforting squeeze as she addressed the Samurai minus one.

"I'm sorry, guys…"

"Don't be too hard on yourself," Mia spoke up. "You tried your best. It's not your fault."

"I still feel like I've let you all down and I'm not about to do it again. My reason for coming here, for being the red Ranger was to seal Xandred away for good. We all saw how badly I failed."

"Lauren…"

"No. I'll continue to help in any way that I can, but I think it's obvious I'm too injured to fight," she lifted her broken arm slightly. The other Rangers were hurt as well, but Lauren had been the only one to break a bone, "That is why I'm stepping down as red Ranger. Jayden will take back his place."

"We'll need a strong team," Kevin nodded his head, "I understand your decision."

Lauren smiled. She knew he would.

"I also just wanted to say that… even if I could continue to fight I would step down."

"Why?" Mike asked her. "Dude, you're the red Ranger. You're the first born. It is…"

"You're married to a second-born who has been kicking ass for two years," Lauren gave Mike a little smirk. "I thought you of all people would understand this. I'm stepping down because Jayden is the better red Ranger and the better leader. I only got the title because I was fortunate enough to be born first, which gave me the Symbol Power. We know that has failed so there is no reason for me to deprive you of a truly great Samurai. One of the best I've ever seen."

Jayden looked down at her with a smile and then back to the team. Already they were waiting for his instructions, ready to follow him into battle.

"I've got one plan. Mike, I think you're going to like this one. We take Xandred down with brute force."

"Oh, good," Mike rolled his eyes. "Yeah, because all this time we've just been going easy on him."

"You know, I was about to say something too," Antonio smirked, joining along with Mike's teasing, "I've been holding back for a really long time now but I think I feel like kicking it up a few knotches."

Jayden chuckled and shook his head, "Guys, this time it's real. If we can't seal him away then it's time we think about destroying him. For good."

"Kill him?" Mike smirked and clapped his hands together, "That does sound like a plan, Jay."

"Lauren's Symbol weakened him," Jayden nodded, "I don't think I have to tell you guys that. We can use that to our advantage. We can take it him out. Just like we've done with every other Nighlok before."

"In other words, we give him the biggest ass kicking of his life?" Mike asked and smiled, "Dude, I'm so in."

"We'll use everything we have against him. Anything goes. Super Samurai, Shark Mode, if anyone wants to bust out the Zords and step on him go for it, as long as he's defeated and the Earth is safe."

As Jayden spoke, the smile suddenly fell from Mike's face and he turned to the window, "Speaking of the Earth…"

Jayden turned to the window and sighed. He had tried to help Emily and he had tried to get her to talk but she refused. She sat outside the gates, staring out into the forest. She was waiting for Serena to come home.

Mia stood up. Emily had just lost her big sister so she thought she would try her hand to at least getting the yellow Ranger inside the house and her injuries looked at. Mike got up and went with her. He didn't know what he would say to Emily that he hadn't already said, but he did know he wasn't going to leave her out there.

As they left, Lauren pulled a disk out of her pocket and passed it over to Jayden, "I've powered up the Shiba Fire Disk. Everything I've got left to give you guys is right there. I won't be in battle with you, but hopefully this will make it feel like you've got one more person fighting along with you. You're going to need everything you've got to defeat Xandred."

Kevin gave Lauren a smile – a bright smile, "I just want to say something."

"What's that?"

"Thank you."

Lauren looked to him strangely and then to the disk she had passed to Jayden, "It's the least I could do, I…"

"You've trained you whole life for us. You've given up everything for the Sealing Symbol. I know it didn't work but it's the thought behind it all. No one here has made a bigger sacrifice than you."

"Yeah," Antonio nodded, "What he said."

"Then make it worth it," Lauren gave them a smile, "Come home in one piece with good news. It was an honour fighting with all of you."

She got up from her seat and gave Kevin and Antonio a hug before walking down the hall to her room. On the way, she passed Serena, James, and Terran's bedroom. She stopped for a moment and had a look inside. Then she closed the door and continued on her way.

Xandred needed to be defeated. Not just sealed away – but destroyed.


	74. Hope, Faith, And Fear

Mia carried a sweater outside as she and Mike went to check up on Emily. Understandably, after losing Serena in the battle against Xandred, Emily was upset. She had refused to go inside the house to be looked at and instead decided to sit just outside the yard in the cold.

Mia walked right up to the yellow Ranger while Mike sat on the other side of the Gate, looking over to his wife. She had been worried about the battle with Xandred before, and he had already talked to her about it, assuring her everything would be okay and they would find a way to come out on top. He had exhausted all his ideas and didn't know what to do or say anymore to cheer her up. He also felt like a liar. They hadn't lost to Xandred, but it was looking like they had lost someone to him. Serena had promised to come home, but there was no sign of her.

The pink Ranger wrapped the yellow in the sweater and then hugged her tight. It was early December and though the days were still a little mild the nights got very cold. Emily was shivering slightly and Mia would do what she could to warm her up.

"You can't sit out here. Come inside. We'll get you checked out and we'll warm you up."

Emily shook her head, "I'm waiting for her."

Mike hugged his knees to his chest and dropped his head. Mia let out a sigh.

"Emily…"

"No, don't tell me I'm wrong," Emily shook her head. "Serena promised she would come back."

"Yeah, but sometimes…"

"You guys always assume she's dead!" Emily cried and pulled away from Mia, "Like that time in the cave. Remember that? She got herself trapped in a cave to save us from Dekker and…"

"Dekker saved her. I remember," Mia nodded.

Emily looked over to Mike, "You bought me Scruffy. You thought it would make me feel better about Serena being dead."

"Yeah, but Em…"

"No! She was alive then and she's still alive now. Until I see she's dead, until it's confirmed, I'm not accepting any of your theories. She's still out there. Even if she's with Xandred, she's coming home. We have to help her. We need to help her before we can even think about destroying anymore Nighlok."

"The plan is to destroy Xandred," Mia explained, "We get rid of him and the Netherworld will crumble with him."

"And if we don't get Serena back before that, we'll lose her too."

"Emily…"

"Please," Emily looked to Mia with big eyes, "I have to rescue my sister."

Mia sighed loudly and closed her eyes, "You'll have ten minutes."

"Seriously?" Emily asked, "You're… you're going to let me try?"

"Ten minutes, and you take Mike with you. If you can't find her, you come back and we'll destroy Xandred. I can't give you more time than that. I'm sorry, Emily."

"Don't be sorry," Emily shook her head and threw her arms around Mia, "Thank you. I'll find her."

"Go inside. Have Ji take a look at you," Mia got to her feet and then helped Emily up. "You'll need to be at your best if you want to pull this off. Serena's counting on you."

Emily nodded her head and raced inside quickly. Mia watched her go and then felt a hand touch her shoulder. She turned around and looked at Mike. His eyes suddenly grew wide in terror. She had a look on her face that made it seem like Xandred was right behind her and she was ready to kill. Nervously, he looked over his shoulder. Mia grabbed his arm before he could turn around and forced him to face her.

"Ten minutes. Not a second more, do you hear me?"

"Yeah," Mike assured her, "Mia, you know I'm not going to let anything happen to her. I want Serena back, but more than that, I want Emily safe and on Earth. I'll time it right, I swear."

"Not a second later, Michael."

"Whoa, full naming me? Mia…"

Mia shook her head as tears started to stream down her cheeks.

_"Mia?"_

_"Yeah, Emy?"_

_"I don't feel good."_

_"Like sick?" Mia lifted her head and looked at Emily. The yellow Ranger nodded her head. "Like throw up sick?"_

_Emily shook her head this time, "No…"_

_"Lonely sick?" Mia asked. "Homesick?"_

_Emily nodded, "Yeah."_

_Mia shifted over in her bed, "Do you want to sleep here tonight?"_

_Emily nodded nervously so Mia invited her over. Emily crawled into bed and laid next to Mia, her ape still wrapped tightly in her arms._

Mia remembered that night. She remembered it well. It had been one of their first nights at the Shiba House and Emily had gotten homesick. Little Emily, two years younger, had missed her parents and her sister so terribly she hadn't known what to do. Still newly acquainted, she had reached out to Mia. From that point on, Mia had cared for her. Technically, she had fallen in love with her little sister long before she had fallen in love with Kevin.

Ten minutes. Allowing her little sister into the Netherworld for ten minutes was ten too many. Mia had already lost her father to the war, and everyone but Emily believed they had lost Serena too. Mia couldn't afford to throw another life to Xandred and his Nighlok. Not her own, not Jayden's or Antonio. Not Ji's, not Mike's nor Lauren's. Not Emily's and certainly not Kevin's. And yet she felt like she was.

"Ten minutes," she reminded Mike. He nodded his head and pulled her into his arms.

"Nine and a half," he promised her. "We'll be out before ten minutes. We'll all be back by your side. Sound good, Momma Pink?"

"If neither of you make it back…"

"We will. We're going to beat Xandred. I still believe that. We just…" Mike looked across the yard to the house, "You're doing the right thing. When we win and Serena's not back… It'll be better if Emily knows. It'll be easier for all of us."

"Serena's the only one… the last one," Mia looked up at Mike, "She's going to be the last one, right?"

"Yeah," Mike nodded and then guided Mia back to the house, "Let's get inside. Standing out here in the misery isn't helping. We need to stay strong."


	75. Fear, Faith, and Hope

Far out in the middle of the ocean, now the Sanzu Ocean, a lone boat floated along the surface, drifting away with nowhere to go but further out into the sea. No one was guiding it. No one had any interest in taking it somewhere. No one cared where it went as long as it went away; except for the person on the boat.

Finally, after hours of drifting away she woke up. The very first thing she felt was pain. It covered her entire body and she screamed loudly and curled herself up into a little ball, wishing her suffering would end then and there.

It didn't, and she was forced to bite her lip and work through it. Pushing herself up, cursing as she did, she finally had a look around and realized where she was. She realized she had no idea where she was except for the red water, which told her she was far, far away from where she needed to be.

"No…" she shook her head and looked in all directions. All she saw was sea and sky. There was no land, no sign of life anywhere. She tugged with her arms but they were bound together behind her back. If it wasn't bad enough to be stranded in the middle of a dangerous ocean, she was bound and stranded, and clueless on how to get home.

But at least the fact that she was bound gave her something to do. She struggled with what felt like rope around her wrists. All her struggling only made the knot tighter. She turned to the water and knew what she had to do. She was already in so much pain it couldn't possibly hurt her anymore.

She was wrong. She let out another cry of agony as she dipped her hands into the water. It burned away at the rope and at some of her skin. She lifted her now free hands from the water and looked to them with tears streaming down her cheeks. She looked out again. There was still nothing in sight.

"_You insolent pest!"_ she felt a blow to the stomach and doubled over, remembering parts of her last battle, and the face of her opponent. He had done this to her. Master Xandred had sent her off, alive, to drift in the sea. She knew why, too. It was a fate worse than death, and the best thing for him. Her misery, her fear, her panic would give him more strength. He needed strength. She had fought him for a few moments after the Sealing Symbol had been used. He was tough, but she had held her own, even for just a few moments, without help.

He had been weakened. Terribly weakened. The Samurai couldn't seal him away, but if they tried hard enough, if they focused, they could destroy him once and for all. She refused to do anything to get in their way.

Her panic turned to rage, and then her rage into motivation. She didn't know how she was going to do it, but she believed she could get off this raft and back home to her family; to the Samurai, to Emily, to James.

To Terran. He was out there somewhere and he was counting on her.

"_MAMA!"_ he was desperate for her return; desperate to be placed back in her arms and to stay there for good. Too many times the Nighlok had separated them. This would be the final time.

"There's no way in hell I'm letting it end here," Serena growled as she got to her feet and grabbed her Samuraizer from her pocket. Xandred had been stupid enough to leave it on her and even if he hadn't she knew how to make Symbols without it. Powerful Symbols too.

Xandred likely thought he was sending her off to her doom and she would give up. He underestimated the strength of the human spirit. He underestimated just how much she hated him.

"Symbol Power! Stone!" she cried and a rock appeared in the air. She couldn't swim in the Sanzu Water, and her element didn't allow her to fly over the ocean, but she could give herself a solid ground to stand on. She pulled herself up on her rock and thanked Serrator for training her Symbol Power. His failure was serving her well. It was because of him, because he had tortured her and forced her to split a mountain in two that she had enough strength to do this. With another symbol, the rock stretched out wide, creating a path.

Serena was strong, but she couldn't hold the Symbol for long. She darted off, running towards the horizon and hoping, praying, she could make it to land.

And if she was lucky, she would end up where she needed to go.

-Samurai-

James poked the fire with a stick and looked across the flames. Terran was sleeping in a bed of leaves, curled up beside Storm who was keeping watch. It was the first time Terran had slept since leaving the Shiba House. It was the first time there was no sound from his mouth. He had screamed endlessly for his mother from the moment he realized he was being taken from her. Even his father couldn't comfort him.

"It's only temporary," a voice reminded him and James turned to Kate. She had joined him a little while ago with Storm and had stuck with him and Terran since, insisting she was here to keep Terran safe. James nodded his head.

"I believe that."

"Then look like it."

"You first."

Kate nodded, "Touché."

James bit his lip and looked up at the sky, "How the hell did you do it the first time?"

"With a lot of hope," Kate said. "But this time is different. I love Ellie, but Serena and Emily… I helped raise those girls. Imagine, for a moment, its Terran in that war."

A tear dripped down James' cheek at just the thought. Kate nodded her head.

"I didn't want to leave. I shouldn't have left," she placed her hands in the dirt and grabbed two clumps. "I can't lose either of them, but I can't do anything to help them from here."

"So why did you leave? Terran and I would have been fine."

"Because there's nothing I could have done to help them from there, either," Kate sighed. "I feel so… helpless."

"Welcome to my life," James nodded his head, "I'm all for female empowerment, but you know how hard it is to watch your wife be the man of the house? I know I do what I can, and I help in a different way, but this reverse tradition thing is…"

"Wife?"

James looked to Kate with a little smile, "It's not official."

"Just a slip of the tongue, then?"

"No," James smiled a little more, remembering his unofficial official wedding night. "I meant it. We got married. It's not legal, yet, but laws mean very little in matters of the heart."

"Well, it's a little late but welcome to the family."

"Thank you."

"I wish you a long and happy life with your wife."

James nodded his head, "I hope you're right."

-Samurai-

Serena couldn't believe it. If she ignored the pain she felt, the beating she had received from Xandred, her isolation, the fact that she had been left for dead, drifting off into a sea of water that would burn her, fate was being kind. As her rock path came to an end, she was only barely able to jump to safe grounds, having reached a shore. She tumbled into the red rocks of the Netherworld but she had made it back from the middle of the ocean. She continued to ignore her pain as she smiled and laughed, looking up to the sky.

"Serena: one. Netherworld: none."

Pushing herself up, she got to her feet and brushed the dirt from her clothes. It was at that moment she heard a snarl.

"Are you kidding me?" she turned around. A dozen Moogers were slowly approaching her, ready for a battle. She wasn't. She had just run from the middle of nowhere back to land after having been beaten and mercilessly sent out to suffer a fate worse than death. She was in no condition to fight.

And that pissed her off. As the first Mooger charged towards her, she ripped his sword from his hand and cut him down with it. She did the same for the others, taking them down quickly because she had no other choice. She had no energy left to fight so the only thing she could do was get it over with. When they were gone she sunk to her knees and breathed loudly.

A nap. She needed a nap. A long one. A safe one. James' strong, warm, and gentle arms would hold her protectively and he would kiss the side of her head, reminding her she was loved. In her arms would be her little baby boy, napping peacefully because he could. The next time she saw him, Xandred would be gone and the world would be safe from his evil.

And she would see him again. She was going to get that nap. She picked herself up and started running up the beach. She stopped halfway, hearing something calling her.

"White Ranger! White Ranger!"

She looked down. The beach was littered with rocks, but also with Furry Worts. She picked one up and knew that as long as she avoided the mouth, the little creature was harmless.

In fact, it was kind of cute – for a Nighlok.

"Where are the other Samurai?" she asked the little creature.

"Straight ahead! Straight ahead!" they chanted and Serena smirked. She was where she needed to be. Now it was just a matter of getting to where she wanted to be. She lowered the Furry Wort down to the ground and just as she was about to put him back, they all started to chant again.

"Dayu! Dayu! Dayu!"

"What?" she knelt down and looked at the little creature, "Dayu's dead."

"Xandred needs Dayu!"

"Can't you just spit it out, you stupid…"

"White plate! White plate!"

"Yeah, I could go for some food too."

"Dayu's misery. Dayu's misery."

"Shut up!" Serena shouted at the creatures, "Shut up and tell me you stupid pests."

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"

Serena punched the beach, let out a cry of regret for forgetting about her burned hands, and then got back to her feet and started straight ahead, hoping the Furry Worts had led her down the right path.

"Xandred's white plate!" the Furry Worts cried out one more time. When Serena heard him she stopped right in her tracks. Xandred did have a white plate – one she had never seen on him before.

"_You will not stand in my way!" _he had cried out to her when she made it clear she would fight him to the very end to allow her friends, and the red Ranger especially to get away. He knocked her down and before he delivered the last blow Serena could remember, she saw a white plate on his chest.

Maybe the Furry Worts weren't all that stupid.

Serena took off running. If they were right, and if this did help, the world would owe the little monsters a huge favour.

"I've got to get home."


	76. A Reason To Fight

Antonio made a stop by the dojo and he could hear grunts and cries from inside. He knew exactly who was making those noises and opened the door with a big smile on his face.

"See, I told you, you're the fearless leader."

Jayden lowered his sword and gave his boyfriend a smile, "Thank you for believing in me."

"You gave me something to believe in," Antonio came over and wrapped his arms around Jayden's waist, "I just don't give up as quickly as you do. Remember, Antonio Garcia is always right."

"So, this upcoming battle…"

"We're going to win," Antonio promised and he pulled Jayden in for a kiss. "We're going to win, and then we're going to live out the rest of our lives together."

"For real?" Jayden looked Antonio in the eyes and the gold Ranger nodded his head.

"Absolutely."

"In that case, do you feel like joining the others?"

Antonio shook his head, "Jay, I know we're going to win, but I do want to spend these last moments with you. With just…"

He trailed off as Jayden got down on one knee and took his hand. Antonio's jaw dropped to the floor and Jayden blushed so much his face matched the outline of his uniform perfectly.

"Antonio, I… I… have no idea what I'm doing."

"Just ask it," Antonio whispered. "Don't be shy. I'll say yes."

Jayden chuckled and nodded his head, "Antonio, I know I don't have a ring or anything to propose with but you're my best friend. You've always been my best friend. I can't… imagine spending the right of my life with anyone else. So, if we beat Xandred…"

"When."

"When we beat Xandred," Jayden corrected himself with a smile, "Will you marry me?"

"Yes," Antonio pulled Jayden back up to his feet and hugged him tight. "Of course I'm going to marry you, Jay. I love you."

Jayden hugged his now-fiancé a little closer, unable to believe what had just happened and what he had just done. He was thrilled, but also terrified. This was a new step in his life, one he felt he was unprepared for. But he had a good feeling. He always had a good feeling when he was around Antonio. He didn't know what would happen next, but he had Antonio by his side. Together, they could do anything.

"I can't believe you just did that," Antonio said as he pulled away. "Given our record, I thought I would be the one begging you to marry me."

"Thank you, Antonio. I'm serious. For everything you've ever done for me. For being my first friend, for keeping your promise and coming back, for never giving up on your dreams and helping me realize mine. You've always had my back."

"It's what future-husband's do," Antonio pulled Jayden in for a kiss.

They were interrupted when they heard a cough by the door. They pulled apart and saw it was Lauren standing there watching them. Jayden suddenly got red hot, and Antonio couldn't help but beam proudly.

"Guess who you're stuck with forever, baby!" he cried and punched his fists in the air in excitement, "I'm marrying your baby brother!"

"Congratulations," Lauren said to him. Antonio started to bounce excitedly, gave Jayden another kiss, and then he ran off, likely to announce the good news to the rest of the house, who needed to think about something positive. Xandred and the fate of the world had been the only thing on their minds for far too long.

Lauren walked over to Jayden and shook her head, "Seriously? You're forcing me to have to bond with that nut?"

Jayden chuckled and wrapped his arms around his sister, "How's the arm?"

"The pain killers are great," she muttered and then looked up at him, "Jayden, I'm happy for you, I can't stress that enough, but please don't let this distract you…"

"Distract me?" Jayden gave Lauren a bright, sincere smile, "I've always wanted to see the end of Xandred, and I was going to give this fight my all, no matter what, but now I have a real reason to fight. I've wanted a normal life for so long. I've wanted to settle down, start a family, and live my life the way I want to live it. If I can win this battle, if I can lead the team to victory, nothing's going to stop that from happening for me. And even better, I'll have my sister by my side – perhaps as my best man?"

"What?" Lauren backed away from her brother, looking deeply offended. Jayden chuckled and realized she likely didn't know much about weddings. He pulled her back in and hugged her warmly while he explained.

"It's the man the groom trusts the most to help him prepare for his wedding day. Normally it's a brother or a best friend, but now that you're back, I can't think of anyone better."

"Jayden, we barely know each other…"

"So what better way to bond?" Jayden asked with a big smile, "Besides, when Antonio and I do get married, that'll be the start of my new family, and I want you to be a part of it. I want you to be a big part of it. Please, Lauren. Please, will you be my best man?"

"Defeat Xandred and I'll only be too happy to do it," Lauren gave her brother a hug, "Seriously, congratulations. You couldn't have picked a better man."

"We're getting married!" Antonio screamed from… somewhere in the house. Lauren groaned.

"You could have picked one who was a little quieter, though."

"You'll grow to love him."

"You gave me no choice."

Jayden chuckled and shook his head as Lauren walked off. His life was officially perfect. There was just one thing standing in his way.

It wouldn't stand there for long.

Elsewhere in the house, Emily was ignoring the celebrating going on in the common room, choosing to hide away in one of the many studies. Mia had given her ten minutes to search for her sister in the Netherworld and Emily wasn't going to waste a moment of it. Despite her hatred for books and for reading, she had taken all the books from the bookshelf that had anything to do with the Netherworld and was reading through them. The more she knew, the better off she would be and hopefully the faster she would find her sister.

She had been at it for hours, though. She was tired, she was frustrated, stressed out, and wishing something would just jump out from the page and give her what she needed. Something did jump out form the page. The words were now dancing around, worse than they had done in years. They were mocking her. They were spinning around, fading in and out, playing hide and seek, and flipping over or upside down. Eventually, to spare herself the headache, Emily had to slam the book shut.

"Why me…?" she muttered. She looked out the window. Taking a break always helped her calm down and focus. Her mother used to tell her that taking a break would help her relax and it would give the words the time to dance and get all their energy out of their systems so that when Emily opened the book again, they would be too tired to move.

As she looked out the window she thought of the Netherworld. In the distance, she could see the clouds. They were closer than they had been hours ago, meaning the Netherworld was closer as well. Emily would have a lot more ground to cover by the time she went out for her ten minutes, but she wouldn't let that slow her down. She would find her sister and she would…

A figure moved. Just beyond the gates, Emily saw it. They had been left open, allowing Emily to look right out into the forest, and though it was dark, Emily swore she saw something. She focused her tired eyes and waited to see if it would move again.

And it did. Emily got up from her seat and kept her eyes on the figure. She wasn't sure what it was exactly but she had to check it out. She raced out of the room and bolted past the others, who congratulating Antonio and Jayden on an engagement, if she heard them right. She would double check later.

She grabbed her jacket and slipped it on as she raced outside. Apparently, whatever the others were celebrating wasn't enough to distract them from her leaving. As she raced to the edge of the yard she heard them coming outside and calling her back. They sounded panicked. She could guess why. They likely thought she was running.

She finally found the figure she had seen from the study and it moved again, falling into the trunk of the tree. The others must have seen it move too because seconds later the outside lights turned on and they hit Serena right in the face. She looked up, shielding her eyes from the light.

"Serena!" Emily screamed and raced over to her sister. She threw herself at the White Ranger, jumping in for a hug.

"Emily," Serena caught her sister and stumbled backwards – but she had just fought off the elements of the Netherworld and travelled back from the middle of nowhere to the house. She could stand for a little longer. She had to put her sister down, though, and gave her a tight hug once Emily was standing on her own feet.

She gave her a powerful, loving hug for a moment before she slumped forward; passing out so suddenly her weight was too much for Emily. The yellow Ranger caught her sister and stumbled backwards, falling to the ground with her. It was then she saw what had been done to Serena.

"Guys!" she screamed but they had already surrounded her. Jayden, Ji, Antonio, and Kevin all very carefully lifted Lauren and took her inside while Mike, Mia, and Lauren knelt beside Emily.

"She's going to be okay," they promised her. Emily nodded her head.

"I want him dead."

"We all do," Mike assured her and held out his hand to help her up. "Tomorrow is his last day."


	77. Never The Same Again

Antonio knew what was coming up as he made breakfast for the house. No one else was up but him and Jayden, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

Today was the first day of the rest of his life; he was sure of that. He was going to march out, with his team of Samurai Rangers, and they were going to kick Xandred's butt once and for all. Sealing him away hadn't worked, so they were going to destroy him – kill him.

Antonio was thrilled. He had all the confidence he needed to win this fight and he was thrilled to see Jayden on board as well. The red Ranger was humming to himself as he pulled the maple syrup out of the fridge and set it on the table. Both were happy because they knew that no matter what, they would spend the rest of their lives with the person they loved. Even if forever ended today, Antonio knew Jayden loved him and so he would die happy.

Nothing Xandred did could change that, and Antonio's happiness would only make him weaker.

"Just 'cause," Antonio felt Jayden kiss his cheek and smiled. He was going to have to remember to make every day Jayden's last. He was so much more affectionate lately. Antonio liked it. He pulled Jayden into his arms after finishing the last pancake and setting it on a plate.

"There's no one I would rather fight with," he said and gave Jayden a kiss, "It's all or nothing."

-Samurai-

Kevin slept in. Any other day he would be up getting breakfast or training, but today he wanted to sleep in. Mia was still fast asleep in his arms, and he loved to watch her. She seemed so peaceful, so happy. She was lucky if she was having a good dream. She deserved it.

She started to stir and rolled over. She looked up at Kevin with a smile on her face. It slipped off when she remembered the day. The Samurai had sworn to take out Xandred. It was do or die. No retreating, no turning back. Kevin pulled her in for a kiss.

"We have to have faith," he reminded her, "We've come this far already."

"I guess that's all we can do," Mia nodded her head and nestled in closer to her fiancé, "Faith, and giving this fight everything we've got. Still, it's scary to think of what might happen if…"

"We're not going to lose. Don't even think that way. You're just feeding him. Xandred's got to have a weakness. Every Nighlok's got a weakness. We just need to find it."

Mia took in a deep breath and then smiled, "Yeah. We'll find it. Xandred's going to regret the day he was born, once we're through with him."

"I love you," Kevin whispered and he gave Mia a kiss. "If it feels like it's too hard, just remember I love you no matter what."

"And we're getting married after this," Mia smiled brightly. Kevin chuckled and nodded his head.

"I can't wait."

-Samurai-

"Serena's going to worry about me."

"I'll take care of her, I promise."

Emily shook her head and turned to Serena's sleeping form in the bed, and then back to Lauren, "You don't get it. Serena's always done everything for me. When she wakes up, you have to keep her in bed, no matter what."

"I will," Lauren assured the yellow Ranger with a smile, "I'll keep her here. She'll have Ji and me looking after her, keeping her safe. I don't want you to worry about her at all."

"Pinky promise?"

Lauren smiled and wrapped her pinky around Emily's, "Go have fun out there. Kick his ass, and make sure it's extra painful, just for me, alright?"

Emily nodded her head and then walked out of the room. She sat Mike sleeping in the hallway, propped up against the wall like he had been waiting there for her all night. Emily felt badly – she had left him to take care of Serena who had returned home from her battle with Xandred badly hurt. Today was the day of the final battle and Emily hadn't shared these last moments with her husband. She sat down beside him and leaned into him, waking him up gently.

"How is she?" was Mike's first question. Emily shrugged.

"Sleeping. Last time she was awake she barely remembered anything."

"Is that good?" Mike stretched out his arms and wrapped them tightly around Emily. She shook her head.

"She remembers she knows something important about Xandred. She must have learned something battling him. She can't remember what."

"We'll figure it out," Mike assured her and he kissed the side of her head. Then he slowly got up, "I smell bacon."

"Mike…"

"Family's important to me too," Mike flicked his thumb over to the kitchen, "but not without you. You're not living my side, Emily. We're defeating Xandred together. For our families: past, present, and future."

Emily smiled. She got up and wrapped her arms tightly around her husband, keeping him close as they walked to the kitchen and joined Ji and the other Samurai for breakfast. They sat down and the room was quiet for the longest time.

Until Antonio decided to lighten the mood and start a food-fight. It didn't take long for the others to join in and their last breakfast as Samurai Rangers was filled with giggles and playful battles.

-Samurai-

In Serena's bedroom, Lauren could hear the giggling from the rest of the family from the kitchen but she didn't feel like joining in on whatever fun they were having. Instead, she changed Serena's bandages once again, inspecting her wounds and burns for signs of infection.

The laughter came to an end eventually, and Jayden stopped by the room quickly to say goodbye to Lauren. He and the others were leaving and he couldn't tell her when they would be back, but he promised they would come back – no matter what it took – and they would come bearing good news. Emily stopped by after he did just to say goodbye to her sister (and make Lauren swear one more time that she would keep an eye on Serena).

After that the house was silent. Ji informed her that he would be watching everything from the common room. The map would keep him up to date on the Rangers' status and the news was surely going to cover every moment of this epic battle, from start to finish. Ji wouldn't miss it.

Lauren stayed in the bedroom as she had promised Emily, and she stayed because she couldn't face her failures. Her entire life she had spent training to use the Sealing Symbol to finally seal Xandred away for good and it had failed miserably. She had let everyone down and was reduced to tending to the injured Samurai – the ones who could actually do something to save the world. Serena had risked her life to save all the Samurai.

Lauren had spent the last sixteen, almost seventeen years in hiding, training for a symbol that didn't even do what it needed to do. As she finished bandaging up Serena's badly burned hands she looked at the white Ranger, "I'm so sorry, Serena. If I had just been able to do it, this would all be over with. They wouldn't be out there and you wouldn't be in here. Xandred would be gone."

"You're overestimating him," Serena whispered as she opened her eyes and smiled at Lauren, "Xandred can be defeated."

"Do you finally remember?"

Serena nodded her head and tried to push herself out of bed. With one hand Lauren held her down.

"What are you doing?"

"Xandred's got a white plate on his chest," Serena groaned as she was lowered back into the bed. "The Furry Worts told me…"

"The Furry Worts? Serena…"

"Do you have a better plan?" Serena asked and Lauren shook her head. "Exactly. Now I just need to tell the others…"

"They left."

"What?"

"A little while ago."

"What?"

"It's the final battle, Serena. This is it. We've done what we can, some of us more than others. We're just going to have to hope they can make it back."

Serena shook her head and closed her eyes: this was exactly what she had feared. She was too weak to fight. This time she was too injured, but it was all the same. Her mind flashed back to the moment the arrow appeared in the yard and Emily left for the war. There was nothing Serena could do.

Only now it was worse. She didn't just worry for Emily, she worried about the entire team. She tried again to get up, hoping she could convince her body she was still strong enough for one more fight.

"Serena, stop it," Lauren pushed her back down, "You're in no condition to leave this bed! I promised Emily I would keep you here. I'm sorry, I know it sucks, but we don't have a choice."

"They need to know Xandred's weakness. I've got to tell them," Serena continued to fight Lauren and reached out to her night table and grabbed her Samuraizer. Lauren ripped it from her hands.

"You're not going out there."

"I have to. I'm a Samurai Ranger…"

"And you've done everything you needed to do."

"I'm going out there."

"No! I'll go. I'll tell them. I'll help them. As long as you stay here."

"You're hurt," Serena shook her head and pushed herself out of bed again. Lauren didn't know what to do or how to make her stop, but she knew there was no way Serena could leave the room by herself. She watched the white Ranger up and fall out of bed. Serena let out a cry of pain and then a cry of frustration.

"I'm hurt?" Lauren asked as she gently helped Serena back into the bed, "I've got one broken arm and a few other booboos. If you promise to stay here, no matter what, I'll go out there, deliver your message, and I'll keep them safe. I'll guard all of them with my life if you just stay in this bed."

Serena sighed, "One more condition."

"What?"

Serena pointed to her desk, "I've got a marker in my desk. Can you get it for me?"

"Sure," Lauren nodded and retrieved the marker, "Do you want paper too?"

"Give me your arm."

"What?"

"Don't make me reach. Stretching hurts everywhere."

Lauren held out her arm and Serena shook her head. Lauren hesitantly held out her arm with the cast. Serena smiled, held it softly and started to write on it with the marker.

"What are you doing?"

Serena's didn't answer. She finished writing and then leaned into the bed and closed her eyes. Lauren looked at her cast.

"_Don't die – Love, Serena."_

"What's this?"

"It's tradition," Serena explained, "When someone has to wear a cast, friends and family sign it."

"Love?"

"Duh. Just remember, the white plate on his chest. Hit it; hit it as hard as you can and as much as you can. I have no idea what it'll do, but it's going to have to do something. That plate wasn't there before."

"I'll remember," Lauren promised. "Just stay in that bed. Your sister will kill me if she finds out I let you fall out of it."

"Then don't make me come after you," Serena smiled, "Good luck, Lauren."

Lauren nodded her head and raced out the door. She had one chance to make things right. One more chance to make her father proud. She was not screwing up this time.


	78. The Final Battle Part II

Jayden and the other Rangers arrived to the edge of a cliff. Looking down, they could see Xandred's army of Moogers had been called to serve their master, and faithfully, like the Moogers always had, they did as they were told. There were no people around to terrorize, but an empire needed to be risen somewhere, and the empty quarry was a great place to start.

"Is this seriously it?" Antonio asked as he looked around and earned five questionable glances from his teammates.

"Dude, there's probably about a thousand Moogers down there," Mike told him.

Antonio rolled his eyes, "Yeah, I can see that. I'm just surprised there are no other Nighlok. You would think Xandred would go full force on Earth."

"We might have beaten them all," Jayden announced, but stay on your toes, guys. This is the very end. Xandred will be pulling out all the stops, just like we will."

He looked left and then he looked right, seeing his teammates standing loyally behind him put a smile on his face. He had never thought he would get to stand in the final battle, never mind lead his team into it. He had dreamed of the day where he saw Xandred's end, but had always pictured Lauren leading the team into battle.

But the failing Sealing Symbol had changed his fate and he was forced to take his sister's place and finish the job she and their father had started. It was a lot of pressure. Jayden had led the team before but now he had so much weighing on his shoulders. He couldn't believe only a few weeks before he thought he had been done with all the Samurai training and the battles and the danger. Now he was right in the middle of it.

"It was an honour, guys, really," he gave them all a smile; happy he hadn't told anyone to morph yet. He wanted to see all their faces and he wanted them to see his, so they would know he was sincere, "I know I wasn't the easiest guy to get to know when we first met but it really means a lot that you guys have stuck by me for so long. I'm proud to call you all my family."

"Really?" Mike chuckled, "Mushy stuff now? C'mon, dude, we're about to kick ass. Can't we save this '_I love you, you love me'_ party for after we win?"

"I have faith in you. In all of you," Jayden said, "but I know what we're about to face is dangerous. If anything happens, we can't let it stop us. None of us would want that, would we?"

Jayden saw a lot of heads shaking. He knew it was important he got this out of his team now. He couldn't have Kevin, for instance, falling in battle and Mia making herself vulnerable to look after him while he passed. They needed to stay strong; they needed to focus on the mission at hand.

Mia and Kevin looked to each other. Mike and Emily looked to each other. Both couples nodded, letting their partner know they wanted the battle to continue on, no matter what. Jayden looked over his shoulder and smiled when Antonio took his hand.

"We will get married," he whispered, "You can count on it."

"We'll go through the Moogers," Kevin announced as he looked out to Jayden, "We'll open up a path so you can go straight to Xandred. We'll join you as soon as we can. Ready, guys?"

They all nodded their heads, morphed, and jumped down into the quarry, charging right into battle with the Moogers who were taken by surprise at first, but then quickly fought back, challenging the Rangers.

Jayden watched all his friends race ahead and he took in a deep breathe. This was it.

-Samurai-

Serena knew the promise that she had made to Lauren, but couldn't bring herself to lay in bed while her best friends put their lives in danger. It was bad enough she was forced to sit out the final battle, she wouldn't sleep through it either. She pulled herself out of bed and found Ji in the common room. His eyes were glued to the TV.

"Please tell me the home team is winning," she said as she fell into the couch, letting out a groan of discomfort.

"You should be in bed," Ji said without taking his eyes off the TV. Serena sighed.

"It's like you don't know me."

Ji gave her a little smirk and from his kimono he pulled out an ice-pack, "I know you very well," he handed it over to her and Serena placed it on her hand. It was still cool and her burned hand needed it desperately. However, she had more burns and injuries on the rest of her body and one ice-pack wouldn't be enough. Ji pulled out several more from his kimono, causing Serena to chuckle.

"You do know me," Serena turned her eyes to the TV and her stomach turned. The Rangers were doing well, but they were painfully outnumbered. The Moogers, though they were no stronger than any other Mooger, hand them all surrounded, and it was, at the very least, one hundred to one. One mistake; that was all it would take for Serena and Ji to start getting funeral arrangements set up.

The Rangers were doing fine. Jayden, however, was struggling against Xandred. Even in Super Samurai, which had been proven to be effective against all types of Nighlok, Xandred was still faster and stronger and Jayden was getting his ass kicked. Serena bit her lip worriedly.

"The white patch, Jayden," she muttered to herself, wishing he could hear her. She had sent Lauren out to pass on her message, but if the older Shiba didn't reach Jayden in time, it would be useless. "Notice it, you dummy. Hit it. At least once…"

"He will pull through," Ji stated, "We just need to be patient."

"I have no patience, Ji."

-Samurai-

Lauren raced to the quarry, finding the Ranger's signals getting stronger the closer she got. It was a good sign for now. As long as she had six signals to follow they were all alive.

When she reached the quarry she stopped to catch her breath and then lost it again. There were so many Moogers, and Xandred stood in the middle of all of them, attacking her baby brother like he was a piece of trash and throwing him around as if he was playing some sick game.

The Rangers were doing well with the Moogers, and before Lauren could even look to see just how well they were doing, the Moogers were gone – all of them. There was a thick cloud of smoke that covered the quarry as the Moogers exploded and disappeared, and for a moment Lauren couldn't see anything.

When the smoke cleared, Lauren looked first for her brother and found him still in a duel with Xandred, but it looked as though Jayden was winning. The smoke had done him a favour. He was a Fire Samurai – he was no stranger to smoke. He had learned at a young age how to push through it giving him an upper hand in situations like these. She couldn't imagine Xandred was experienced when it came to fires and smoke, as he had been forced to live in the Sanzu River and on a boat for years.

It had paid off for Jayden. The smoke had blinded Xandred and Jayden took advantage to stab the powerful Nighlok right in the chest, right on the white plate Serena had spoken about.

Lauren smiled. Maybe she wouldn't be needed. Maybe this was finally the end. Xandred seemed to be in pain as his hand shakily grabbed the sword.

"Not a bad strategy red Ranger," he growled, "but you won't defeat me that easily."

Like it was nothing – like it had absolutely no effect on him whatsoever, Xandred ripped Jayden's sword from his chest and tossed him aside. The other Rangers rushed over, catching him as he rolled on the ground. Lauren's heart was caught in her throat as Xandred took advantage of the Ranger reunion to blast at all of them, tearing them down with flames and Netherwind, as he called it.

"No!" Lauren screamed as the smoke again had to clear before she could see anything. All six of the Rangers were on the ground demorphed.

"Beg me to spare you!" Xandred cried out, having not heard Lauren's scream over his own laughter. This was all just a game to him – formalities, even. He didn't expect to lose.

Lauren whipped out her Samuraizer and jumped down from the cliff, morphing before she landed. Battling Xandred would be hard with her broken arm but the Rangers needed this time to catch their breath and Xandred needed to be worn down. She snuck up behind Xandred, slashing across his back several times before he turned around. Lauren saw the white patch, saw it was cracked and knew exactly what she needed to do. Again and again, no matter how many times Xandred fought back, she aimed her attacks for that one spot. Eventually, Xandred did fall to his knees and clutched his chest. Lauren lunged for him again but he disappeared into a gap. Her Samuraizer beeped seconds later and she knew he had emerged somewhere else. She didn't care right now. She raced over to her brother and the other Rangers and dropped to her knees beside Jayden as she powered down.

"Are you okay?" she pulled him up and into a hug. Jayden let out a groan but returned the hug.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked and as the others sat up they looked to her with the same question in mind.

"Serena finally remembered what she wanted to say. That white spot, that patch, you need to keep hitting it. That's his weak spot."

"That's great," Mike muttered and then pounded the dirt with his fists, "Only no matter what we do, that bastard's twice as powerful as all of us combined."

"No, he's not," Lauren shook her head and looked to Jayden, "You're going to need everything you've got, but you can do this."

"There's no turning back," Jayden stated firmly and with a little help from his sister he got back to his feet. "We either defeat the Nighlok or we die trying. If you're not dead, get up."

The others got to their feet, helping each other slowly, but they made it up. Jayden gave them a smile and then he turned to his sister.

"Please, get out of here."

"No," Lauren shook her head, "I've got a plan."

"Is it anything like Jayden's brute force plan?" Mike groaned and rubbed the back of his neck to check to see it everything above his shoulders was still where it was. "Because I swear, we're doing all we can."

Lauren smirked and then looked up at Jayden. She saw the look on his face. It was like he already knew what she was thinking. Maybe they were more alike than she thought.

"Lauren, you're needed back home," he told her. Lauren shook her head.

"Serena and Ji will be fine. You guys need me. This plan is going to work. It has to work."

"And what is this plan?" Kevin asked.

Lauren took in a deep breathe, and despite her brother's looks she explained, "I weakened Xandred. He was on his knees before he left. I haven't been around for a long time, but given the stories you told me, that's the closest we've ever gotten."

"Want a medal?" Mike muttered.

Lauren shook her head, "He knows he took a hit. He knows he's losing strength. While you guys get back into the swing of the fight and hold off his Moogers, I'll take him on."

"Lauren, he'll rip you to shreds!" Jayden cried out and shook his head, "Go home…"

"No. I'm a Samurai, I want to help."

"With this?" Jayden lifted her broken arm to show her. "Lauren, you're going to get hurt."

"And you're not?" Lauren ripped her arm out of his hand and looked to him, "I'm going to buy you time. If I don't do this you're going to have to take Xandred on, you're both going to be tired and he's going to hand you your ass on a silver platter, just like every time before. I'm pulling rank and I'm going in."

"You gave leadership to me. You can't…"

"I'm still your big sister," Lauren growled. She turned to the others, "Like I said, Xandred knows he's weak. He'll be surrounded by Moogers. I'll challenge him, you guys get the Moogers out of the way. I'll retreat then and let you all finish him off."

"Are you sure?" Antonio asked her. Lauren nodded her head and smiled.

"Positive. I'll meet you guys there."

She raced off and Jayden growled loudly, kicking at the dirt with his foot. She had only just come back. He didn't want to lose her.

"Older sisters, huh," Emily giggled and gave him a pat on the back. The others were already starting to leave. "Just a heads up, now that she's part of the family, she's never going to stop protecting you."

"Emily…"

"Never."

Jayden gently pushed her forward, "The faster we defeat those Moogers the faster she'll have to retreat. Let's go."


	79. The Final Battle Part III

_Author's Note: __**Spoilers**__. This is my interpretation of the episode, so what happens here isn't what happens in the final episode, but there are some elements that were inspired by the episode so this is a warning to those who really, really don't want to be spoiled to wait until tomorrow to read._

When Lauren found Xandred he was exactly where she predicted: surrounded by Moogers and right in the middle of the city, terrorizing all the people who weren't fortunate enough to make it out of the city on time for one reason or another. He was using their fear and their misery to earn back some of his strength.

Lauren plowed through the Moogers as quickly as she could and continued her duel with Xandred, who seemed very displeased about her presence.

"You!" he screamed loudly as he swung his sword and Lauren only just managed to catch it with her own. She and Jayden couldn't morph at the same time. To have two red Rangers at once would take up too much energy from each of them and her brother needed all the power he could get. One mistake with her sword, one opening was all Xandred needed to cut her in half and end her life. Lauren didn't plan on dying today, and had Serena's message on her cast to remind her to be careful, but just in case her fate decided to not be kind, she was going to make sure her death was Xandred's biggest mistake. She struck him once more in his white patch and heard him cry out. As he stumbled back she kicked the sword from his hand.

Growing up, her training had focused quite a bit on her Sealing Power. However, she could never get enough sword training and martial arts training. Eat, sleep, Symbol Training and fighting, that was all she had done, all she knew. And in the unlikely event she didn't have enough time for all, sleep was usually the first cut from the list – followed by regular meals. Everything meant nothing if she couldn't do the one job she had been asked to do.

And yet, all that time, all that energy, her entire life had been for nothing. The Sealing Symbol had failed and now the world was left with one option: kicking Xandred's ass. She could do that. She knew how to do that. She had been trained to fight, and as many of her mentors and senseis had told her, she was one of the strongest fighters they had ever seen. It had been the only compliment she had received growing up.

As Xandred staggered backwards from Lauren's attack, she kicked the sword from his hand and left him defenseless. Xandred, like her, had nothing to lose and everything to gain with this battle. While his one hand clutched his chest the other reached out and grabbed her neck, lifting her high off her feet.

"You pathetic fool," he laughed in her face. Lauren struggled, trying to breathe and noticed the other Rangers had finally arrived and were keeping the Moogers off her back. Jayden, especially, seemed to be working hard to get to Xandred as quickly as possible. Lauren just needed to hold out a little longer – keep Xandred distracted for a little longer.

He continued to laugh as he watched her struggle, "For years you've been deceiving me. Hiding out while your decoy took your place, fought all your battles. You trained in secret to master a symbol that, as it turns out, has no effect on me! How does it feel, red Ranger, to know your entire life means nothing?"

Lauren could feel her face turning red but wouldn't give up. She grabbed Xandred's arm and pulled herself up. She kicked him in the chest, right on the patch. It wouldn't do much, but it would do something. The pain was agonizing, even for Xandred, and he was forced to drop her before she suffocated. Lauren hit the ground coughing, clutching her neck, and weak. Xandred could recover faster. He picked up his sword and was about to swing at her when another sword blocked him. He looked up, seeing the yellow Ranger and laughed, "Just another replacement… ARG!"

He staggered back and Emily stood tall over Lauren after slicing at Xandred's white patch. She was happy she got a hit. Xandred had caused her nothing but misery.

"That's for _my_ big sister, you red-faced, son of a bitch!" she screamed. Xandred growled, surprised she had gotten him, but he wouldn't let that happen again. As he was about to take another swing he felt something else smash him in the chest and forced him to his knees. When he got up again he saw the gold Ranger standing before the girl red Ranger and the yellow Ranger.

"That's just for being an asshole," Antonio shrugged. Xandred pounded into the pavement and jumped to his feet. He was quickly knocked down by a powerful gust of wind and then an arrow shot him in the chest, piercing through the white patch. He let out a cry of pain and as he ripped out the arrow and looked over to see the pink and blue Rangers.

"You think you're tough, Xandred?" Kevin cried out, "Why don't you try messing with the older crew?"

Xandred jumped up to his feet, picked up his sword and charged at the Rangers. Kevin and Mia braced themselves for his attack and Xandred was sure he was going to get them.

But at the last minute they jumped out of the way, revealing the green Ranger who had been standing behind them with his Forest Spear at the ready. Xandred couldn't slowdown in time and ran right into the tip of Mike's spear, piercing himself where he was weakest. He let out a loud scream, but his rage was what kept him going. He ripped the spear out of his chest and out of Mike's hands and used it against the green Ranger. Mike was knocked off his feet as Kevin and Mia were when they tried to help him out.

Emily and Antonio rushed over to help their friends, guarding them from Xandred who took this time to take a step back. He saw them all standing in a nice little bunch once again and couldn't stop himself from attacking them again. By now he was bleeding heavily from his chest, but he wasn't the master of the Netherworld for no reason. He held out his hand, let out a savage cry and caught the Rangers in flames, Sanzu Water, and Netherwind that would tear at them like thousands of daggers. Hearing their cries as they all fell to their feet in pain gave him a little more strength.

Lauren watched with her eyes wide, praying she would still see her friends when the smoke cleared – but assuming there had been enough fire and poisonous water to burn them to ashes or disintegrate them (depending on which element had caught them first).

Jayden was also watching and waiting for this moment. Xandred was so distracted with the six Rangers before him he forgot all about the second red Ranger. Jayden pulled out the Shiba Fire disk from his pocket and morphed. He attached the disk to his Spin Sword and spun it.

Lauren had given the disk a lot of power, but he had no idea how much until he felt all that power coursing through him, giving him more strength than he could ever imagine. It was like Super Samurai, but ten times that. It was even more powerful than Shogun Mode.

Which gave Jayden and idea. The Shogun Mode so far had only been used inside the Megazord but it was covered in armour. Almost every part of his body would be protected. It took a lot of power, but Lauren's disk gave him more than enough. Jayden powered up and took no time to admire his suit or check up on his friends. Xandred needed to be defeated.

He let out a cry, intentionally calling Xandred's attention. The master of the Netherworld turned around and the final battle was on. Their swords clashed, but even with the heavy suit, Jayden had enough strength and enough power to keep going. He saw the white spot on Xandred's chest. It was almost completely gone already. Lauren had struck it so many times and his friends had all gotten their shot at it.

"I just need to keep hitting that spot!" Jayden powered up his Mega-Blade and slashed only at Xandred's chest every time he found an opening and every time he did Xandred grew weaker and slower. Jayden's mind didn't even think to take a break. He kept at his task and put everything he had into one more attack.

One more, all it would take was one more. Jayden could taste victory as his sword touched Xandred's skin and cut right through it. With a louder cry than anything Jayden had heard before, Xandred stumbled back, fell to his feet and before Jayden could get away he exploded. It knocked Jayden back but when the red Ranger got up, Xandred was gone.

Jayden powered down, back to just his regular Samurai uniform and stared at the spot where Xandred had been standing. He couldn't believe it.

"I… I did it."

"Jayden!" Lauren screamed as she got up to her feet and ran over to him. She fell next to him and scooped him up in her arms, hugging him tightly, "Are you okay?"

"He's… he's gone," Jayden whispered and buried his face in his sister's shoulder. Lauren nodded her head and smiled.

"Dad would be so proud of you, baby brother," she said in his ear. Then the ground started to shake and Jayden remembered something important. Nighlok had two lives, and surely with his strength Xandred would come back. He pushed Lauren away and looked right in her eyes.

"Run. I can finish him off."

"Are you sure?"

Jayden nodded his head. He and Lauren got to their feet and he told her where to hide. She had no time to run far enough away to be safe, but there were places she could take cover, and as long as Jayden knew where she was he could make sure no one accidentally stepped on her.

As Lauren retreated, Jayden turned around and saw his teammates on the ground. They were struggling to get up but they were all alive. He hated himself for the words that came out of his mouth but he knew they needed to hear them. It was the only thing that would keep them safe.

"If you're still breathing you're strong enough to fight. Get up!" he shouted and knew he would never use this tone with them under any other circumstance but he needed them. Piloting a Megazord alone was too much work, especially against Xandred. "Get up!"

They did as they were told and Jayden saw the extent of their injuries but right now he couldn't care. He gestured up to the sky where Xandred was knocking buildings downs. The Rangers gave him a nod as they called out their Zords.

One more battle. All they needed was to get through one more battle.

-Samurai-

The ground trembled worse than any earthquake and Lauren struggled to make it to her shelter as the Megazord and Xandred went at it, fighting for possession of the Earth. If Xandred won, he would take it all. If the Samurai won, Earth would continue to belong to the humans, and they could finally live in peace.

But Lauren looked out and saw the destruction caused. Between the Netherworld making an appearance on Earth and the final battle against the Nighlok, there wasn't much Earth left. It would take days – no, years – before the city would ever be returned to normal. In the meantime, it would all be rubble. Perhaps no one would even want to pick up the pieces.

Earth couldn't remain in a dead state. Lauren had one more mission. She kept a close eye on the battle while tracing one final Symbol. Every time the Rangers got closer to victory, she traced another stroke.

Suddenly, the Megazord began an unstoppable charge towards Xandred. None of his attacks could slow it down. Zords broke apart and flew away left and right, sacrificing their lives for the sake of the world, but whatever was left continued to roll ahead until it was just the original five and one more very powerful attack. Lauren could tell the Rangers were giving this final shot everything they had and she did the same with her final stroke.

Then she saw it happen. Xandred didn't have enough power to survive the final strike and began to twitch and scream in pain. But with the little energy he did have left, he got closer to the Megazord.

"At least I can take you all down with me!" he cried out and Lauren watched as Xandred took the Megazord in his arms only seconds before he exploded. One more time, everything was veiled in smoke. Lauren spun her Symbol to activate it and then blacked out.


	80. After The War

Ji looked around the city and it was nothing like he expected.

He and Serena had watched the final battle on the news, and he was sure people around the world had watched the battle.

He and Serena had seen Xandred finally die and they had celebrated his end. But unlike the people around the world, who could now rest in peace knowing their city or country wasn't soon going to be invaded by unstoppable monsters, they still had work to do. After a quick celebratory hug, Ji sent out word to Kate, letting her and James know it was safe to return. He wasn't sure how long it would take for them to receive his message or how far away they had gotten, but he knew they would be back soon.

Meanwhile, Serena prepared the common room for the Rangers' return. They had won, they had saved the world, and they were about to put Ji and Serena's knowledge of medicine and first aid to the test.

A couple of hours passed by with no word from the Xandred and Ji and Serena grew worried. Ji said he would leave to check up on them and Serena insisted she was fine to go with him. They ventured out to the city and saw, to their surprise, it was back to normal. It had been fully restored. It looked like nothing had ever happened to ruin it.

Buildings, the parks, the trees, the shops and the homes were all up.

Everything was back to normal except for the people. It would take time before they would come back. It would take time before they believed Panorama City was a safe place to live. For now, the Samurai had the city to themselves.

If Ji and Serena could find them.

"Rangers!" Ji shouted at the top of his lungs as he searched the streets. Serena checked her Samuraizer and hoped for a signal but didn't see one. Her chin quivered as she smashed the Samuraizer into the wall of a building, giving it its first new dent. She remembered the final thing she had seen on TV before the feeds had been cut by a burst of power. Xandred had exploded but he had taken the Samurai Rangers down with him. The five remain Zords had been blasted apart while the Rangers were still inside.

"No," she looked up when she heard Ji and saw him kneeling by the corner of the street. She raced over to him and placed her hands on his back as she looked over his shoulder. He had the lion Zord laying in his hand – dead.

"No, no, no," she shook her head and looked around frantically, "Monkey!" she screamed and hoped to find the Ape Zord hadn't suffered the same fate.

The Ape was the left arm of the Zord, so Serena look down the street to the left of where the lion Zord had been found. The little Zord could have hidden everywhere so she checked every single corner and finally found the Zord on the awning of a shop. It hurt, but she climbed up and then carried the monkey down. She hugged the Ape in her arms, seeing it had suffered the same fate as the Lion.

"You stupid Ape," she gave it a kiss on the head, "I know you hate me but please don't do this. What's Emily going to say when she finds out? C'mon, Monkey, just one more bleep."

"Xandred got what he wanted," Serena heard a familiar voice and turned around. She barely managed a smile when she saw Lauren coming out of a grocery store while pushing a shopping cart full of pillows. Lauren was limping and looked exhausted but at least she was standing. Serena held the ape Zord close as she threw one arm around Lauren, hugging her tightly.

"Thank god you're okay."

"I'm fine," Lauren nodded, "Tired, but I made it."

Serena looked her in the eyes and shook her head. She knew that look. Lauren was tired after exhausting her Symbol Power and given she hadn't fought Xandred in the final battle, Serena knew what that meant.

"You restored the city."

"I couldn't let the Rangers sacrifice everything just to save a city of rubble," Lauren said. "At least this way we managed to save a beautiful Earth instead of just dirt. No offense."

"None taken," Serena whispered and then looked down in the shopping cart. It seemed Lauren had already found the dragon, the bear, and the turtle, and they were also dead. Serena gently set the Ape down next to the bear Zord, knowing they had bonded over the last two years and would be happy to rest together. "Xandred… he…"

"The Zords gave up everything," Lauren nodded her head. "I tried what I could but… it's the end. At the very least, we know Xandred and the Nighlok are gone now. We don't need them anymore."

"That doesn't mean they won't be missed," Serena whispered. She gulped, suppressing her tears. She and the Ape Zord had never really gotten along because the Ape had chosen Emily the day Emily had been born, but Serena had grown up with the Ape. They had been friends.

"We'll give them a proper goodbye later," Lauren promised and then signalled for Serena to look over her shoulder as Ji gave over. He set the Lion Zord in the cart with the others and then pulled Lauren into his arms. He was already crying uncontrollably as he held her and from what Serena couldn't see he was crying for her. Ji certainly hadn't raised Lauren, but it seemed he cared for her deeply and there was no reason not to. He had known her as a child. He had been there for her birth and he had been a part of her life before she had been sent away. He had known about her for her whole life. He did truly care for her and worry about her.

"Are you okay," he asked and then pulled away to fuss over her. Both Serena and Lauren rolled their eyes in annoyance and Lauren nodded her head.

"I'm fine, Ji. I'm tired, but I'm okay."

"Xandred didn't hurt you too much, did he? How is your arm? The cast is still on, that's good. What about the rest of you. Does anything else…"

"Ji, I'm okay," Lauren assured him and hugged him with a big smile, "but thank you."

"Serena!"

Serena heard her name being called by a familiar voice, but not one she couldn't remember off the top of her head. She turned around and saw them: Mike's parents, Kevin's parents, Mia's mother, and Mia's grandmother were all racing towards her, Ji, and Lauren.

"What the…" she asked before she was pulled into a hug by Mike's mother.

"You didn't think we would run from a final battle, did you?" Kevin's father gave her a smile and then looked to Ji, "Is it real? Is Xandred really?"

"Gone," Ji nodded with a big smile on his face, "The Rangers did it."

"How are you guys okay?" Serena asked and looked at the older generations. Though the world had been saved, Serena wasn't stupid. The city was deserted for a reason. People had abandoned when the Netherworld first surfaced and those that hadn't, unfortunately, hadn't survived (or if they had, they had gotten their asses out of the city as quickly as they could, choosing to leave everything behind). However, the parents had no signs of injuries at all.

"Seriously?" Mako chuckled and shook her head, "You didn't think I would buy a house right in the middle of the most dangerous city in the world and not prepare myself for the worst."

"In other words, mom has a bunker," Noa rolled her eyes. Serena groaned.

"I should have known," she wrapped one arm around Lauren's shoulder, "Lauren, I'd like introduce you to Mrs. Watanabe, Mia's grandmother. Don't mess with her. You won't live."

"So, the other Samurai?" Kevin's mother asked and she had a quick look around, hoping to see her son turning the corner. She knew she couldn't expect him to be in perfect condition after the battle, but they had won; they had defeated Xandred. He had to be somewhere.

The smile slipped from Serena's face and she looked to Ji and Lauren nervously. She didn't know what to say so she hesitated.

"Where are my parents?"

"On their way," Mike's mother promised her, "but the other Samurai."

"We haven't heard from them," Ji said with a shake of his head and then gestured to the shopping cart, "This is what we've found so far."

"Dragon Zord?" Patrick gently scooped the little dragon out from the cart and stroked it gently, hoping to see come to life but the little creature didn't move, blink, or blink. It lay in his hand. David and Noa picked up their Zords as well and hoped for the same but nothing happened.

"They're near indestructible," David looked up at Ji, holding the Bear tightly but gently in his hand, "How could this happen? They've fought through so many wars…"

"And this time they have defeated Xandred. They've sacrificed everything to see he was destroyed," Ji answered and he looked to the broken Lion, shedding a tear. The Lion didn't belong to his family, but like the Samurai he had grown up with it. It had been passed down from Shiba to Shiba and Ji and his ancestors had always stuck by the Shiba. He considered the Lion a great friend and was sad to know he was gone."

"Hold up," Kevin's mother shook her head, "If the near indestructible Zords were killed, where the hell is my son?"

"Christina," Patrick held his wife gently in his arms, "Relax. Final battles aren't…"

"Where is my son?" Christina growled at Ji and she looked ready to kill. She was no Samurai and Ji was sure he could take her, but he doubted she was completely defenseless. Her husband and her son had been blue Rangers, and with her right in between the two of them, she had likely been trained even just the basics for fighting. If Ji let his guard down, she could hurt him.

"I'll get my best and most trusted friends to search the entire city for them," Ji promised. He already had his Samuraizer out to make the calls needed to clean up the last bit of the mess. Though the war against the Nighlok was over, he and his friends still had plenty of Ranger business to take care of. The first one was finding the Rangers.

"We'll start looking too," Mike's mother announced, touching Christina's arm, "Our kids are tough. They'll be around here somewhere."

The parents split up while Ji made the call. Serena turned to Lauren and breathed out a heavy sigh. Lauren looked to her with a sad smile.

"Serena…"

"Carmen was right," Serena said, "They're tough. You found most of the Zords; the Rangers can't be too far from there, right?"

"I haven't seen them," Lauren shook her head; "They could be anywhere… or nowhere. You may have seen it on TV, but what happened here…"

"We don't give up," Serena growled. "If the Rangers are out there…"

"Serena…"

"We're looking for them."

"What if we don't like what we find?" Lauren looked to Serena with tears in her eyes, "I just got a family, Serena. I finally made it back to my brother. What if… what if this battle… what if Xandred takes my family away from me again."

"If we don't look for them we're sure to lose them," Serena grabbed Lauren's arms and offered her a comforting smile. It wasn't a happy one but one that Lauren needed to see to get motivated. "We'll start with the dragon Zord. Where did you find him?"

"This way," Lauren pointed down the street and she and Serena raced off. Ji finished his phone call and then dropped down to a park bench and held his head in his hands.

This was the part he hated the most.


	81. Families

A while back, Ji had been smart enough to set up a little hospital for the Samurai. Dr. Harada had been a faithful doctor to the Samurai for the last few generations and had been forced to retire early (he was fired) when instead of doing his job and taking care of one of the Samurai, he chose to try and kill her son instead. He was dismissed and eventually locked away inside his own mind by Serena after he made the mistake of threatening the Samurai family one more time. After that, Ji knew he couldn't handle all the medical needs of the Samurai all the time by himself, so he had called some other doctor friends of his and they had built a hospital.

It was barely big enough to house all six Rangers, but the doctors made room and worked around the clock to do what they could for the six heroes who had just about given up everything for them and the Earth.

It had taken a long time, but the parents, Serena, Lauren, and Ji did eventually find the Rangers scattered around the city, just like the Zords had been scattered, and they had rushed them back to the hospital. Now they were just waiting on news from the doctors and praying all the Samurai could pull through.

As they waited, Ji paced back and forth like he always did when he was nervous. He tried not to think too much about Jayden but he was worried sick he would lose him. He had always considered Jayden to be a member of his family and after Jayden's father had passed away in the previous war he had raised the red Ranger like he was his own son. He waited with the other parents in the room, feeling the exact same way they were feeling.

Lauren was curled up on a chair, hugging her knees close to her chest. She felt badly for feeling badly, knowing she had only just met the Samurai and didn't have the same connection to them as their parents but she couldn't help herself. She was worried for her brother and for the friends who had taken her in. It had been a struggle at first to be a part of their team, but in such a short time she had gone from being a complete stranger, even to her own brother, to part of the family. It had been her dream for so long to find a place where she truly fit in, where people loved and cared for her and she could love and care for them in return. She wanted to be a part of a family and couldn't picture other group of people ever being better for her than the Samurai. She had only just realized her dream and it was all be threatened.

Serena sat with her parents who had arrived shortly after the Rangers had been found. They were all too used to these questionable hospital visits but it never got any easier. Now, instead of it being their firstborn fighting for her life against a violent illness, it was their baby daughter fighting to survive a war. Serena, especially hated this. Normally it was her fighting, and she had always been scared but at the very least it was her own life and her battle. Now she had to sit on the sidelines and just hope.

The doors to the hospital burst open suddenly and Serena, Mako, Noa, and Ji recognized Terry. Unsure of how he traveled across the country or how he made it into the city during a war, but understanding his reasons for coming, they welcomed him in. Noa even stood up and took the upset boy in her arms. A woman walked in behind Terry and they could only assume it was his mother. Noa and the woman looked to each other somewhat awkwardly before the woman introduced herself.

"Megan," she whispered. "You must be Noa."

Noa nodded her head, "I guess you know."

Megan looked around the room nervously. Though Simon had always promised his relationship with Noa was still very friendly and everything between them was peaceful, this was still the other half of his life and the friends she was looking at now were Noa's friends. They were the other side.

Noa touched Megan's arm and smiled as she introduced her to the others, "This was Simon's fiancée, and Terry's mother."

"Where's Mia?" Terry pulled away from Noa and looked to her with tears in his eyes. He was upset and terrified, like everyone else. His big sister was near death, and after having just lost his father he wasn't sure he could cope with another death in the family.

"The doctors are taking excellent care of her," Noa assured him with a hug. "When she wakes up, I'm sure she'll be more than happy to see you."

Terry nodded his head and then went to sit down beside Mako. His mother joined him and sat next to him. She took his hand and looked around the room again. She wasn't sure how to fell, having never met any of the Samurai or their family before, but Simon had spoken so much about Mia she did hope to one day meet the woman who would have been her step-daughter. She could only hope that chance hadn't been taken from her.

Suddenly, the doors opened and a doctor stepped out.

"Family for Antonio?" he called and everyone looked around. Antonio wasn't like the rest of the Samurai. He was the first in his family and his father had no idea of his chosen life. There was no one waiting in the hospital for him.

So Lauren stood up. She was Antonio's future sister in-law, and the closest thing to family he had. She explained it to the doctor and he accepted it without a second thought and guided her down to Antonio's room. He opened the door and let Lauren walk in.

She had never seen such a horrible sight. Antonio was battered, beaten, and bruised, and connected to so many machines, most of which Lauren had no idea what they did. She could only assume the others were in the same condition but pushed that thought from her mind. She grabbed the chair from the corner of the room and sat down beside Antonio's bed. She took his hand, careful not to hurt him. Antonio stirred and turned his head, seeing her sitting next to him.

"Did we win?" he asked. Lauren nodded her head and forced a smile through her tears.

"Yeah. It was pretty amazing too."

"Golden, even?"

Lauren chuckled. She had heard a little bit about Antonio from Jayden and knew that from time to time he liked to make golden puns. He was perhaps his own biggest fan and it was obvious his favourite colour was gold. His obsession with it had been something that bothered the others, but in a playful way. Hearing it was true, and hearing him joke about it made Lauren feel a little better. At least he was well enough to mess around.

"The brightest gold."

"So, that means Xandred's really gone for good, right? We don't have to worry about him or…"

"Every trace of the Nighlok is gone," Lauren assured him. "We're free to live our lives peacefully now. We can all be normal…"

"We're never going to be normal," Antonio gave her a smile, "but I'm glad we don't have to worry about a Nighlok invasion anymore. Being a Samurai was awesome but I'm kind of glad it's over."

"It's over for good," Lauren promised him, "and now you and my brother can get married and you can start your own family."

Antonio's smile widened as he remembered his engagement to Jayden. It had been just before the big war and they hadn't had the time to tell anyone about it. Lauren only knew because she had been standing in the doorway when it happened.

"You're okay with it? I forgot to ask you…"

"Of course I'm okay with it," Lauren nodded her head. "I was going to ask you if you were okay with me. You've been in Jayden's life for so long, I feel like I'm the one butting in."

"You're not," Antonio answered her; "Jayden's wanted a family just as much as you do."

"What was he like?" Lauren asked and leaned forward on Antonio's bed. Antonio looked to her with a bit of a mischievous grin.

"What do you mean?"

"As a kid. I wasn't around him much. What was he like as a kid? You knew him then, right?"

"Where do I begin?" Antonio smirked.


	82. Family Reunions

The last thing he remembered was standing in the Megazord ready to defeat Xandred. Now, as he opened his eyes, all he could see was a bright, shining light. It blinded him so much he closed his eyes again and groaned. Why couldn't the afterlife just let him rest in peace?

"Kevin?" he heard a voice call his name but it didn't sound like Mia so he didn't care. He groaned again and tried to move but everything hurt. Maybe he wasn't dead. He was pretty sure the dead didn't feel any pain.

He heard his name again and something touched the side of his face. It hurt to be touched but it wasn't too bad a hurt. Whatever touched him, a hand maybe, was soft, gentle, and warm. He felt at ease. He relaxed just a little and his breathing came back to him naturally. He tried to open his eyes one more time and the light still blinded him but he blinked through it, slowly letting his eyes adjust. When he did he saw two faces he hadn't seen in a long time.

"Mom…? Dad…?"

"You're going to be okay," his mother whispered as she leaned over him and gave him a soft hug. It hurt, but it still felt good having his mother's arms around him. Then he felt his father take his hand. His vision was still a little blurry but he did see a smile on his father's face – a smile Kevin only rarely got to see on his father. Though the older blue Ranger had always been a loving parent he saved his pride for moments where Kevin really deserved it, making them all the more special.

"You won, son," he whispered. As Christina pulled away Kevin's father sat down next to him and gently pulled him in his arms, hugging him tightly. He had been terrified since the day he and his team had failed to seal Xandred away for good. He had been terrified knowing he had dropped the war in his son's lap. To know Kevin hadn't just survived, but had been instrumental in defeating Xandred and the Nighlok once and for all gave him great relief and washed away the burden of having to send off his only son to war. "I love you."

Kevin muttered back the words, barely able to get them out. He wrapped his arms tightly around his father and cried into his shoulder. He didn't know what to feel but for the first time in a very long time he felt completely safe.

-Samurai-

"How are you feeling?" Mako asked as she sat beside Mia and gently brushed the hair away from her granddaughter's face. Mia was only just starting to come to and was barely responsive but she was alive. Mako and Noa were so happy to see he was alive.

"Xandred…"

"He's gone, princess," Mako whispered and gently kissed Mia's forehead. "You beat him. You won."

"We have a visitor for you," Noa said and opened the door to Mia's room. She waved at Terry and Megan, inviting them inside. Terry rushed to Mia's bed while Megan stayed by the far wall to watch. Mia was only just waking up from a deadly battle and had no idea who she was. It was best to keep her distance until Mia could think a little more clearly and wasn't so… beaten down.

Terry took Mia's hand and squeezed it. Seeing her so hurt and barely alive was killing him inside. He still hadn't gone back to school since his father's death, feeling as though his sudden death was too much to take. His father had told him and his mother that he was going on a trip to see Mia, and though Terry had warned him of the dangers (having experienced them first hand) his father promised he would be safe. He had never one told Terry he had gone to take Mia's place as a Ranger or that he had even gone to protect her. When Terry had received news that that was what his father's endeavours entailed, and that they had led to his death, Terry couldn't cope. He had been mad at Mia for the longest time, choosing to blame her for his loss, but now he knew she needed him and he knew he couldn't afford to lose another family member. When he took her hand she turned her head to him and smiled. He thought she remembered him and was happy until she spoke.

"Dad?"

"Princess," Mako whispered softly and continued to gently brush Mia's hair, "You remember your brother, right? Terry?"

Mia nodded. It looked like it was coming back to her. She gave Terry another smile and then squeezed his hand.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. We'll talk about it later," he said and sat down beside her bed. "I just want you to get better, okay?"

"Did I really win?"

"You did awesome," Terry nodded and gave her a big smile. "You and the others are worldwide heroes."

Mia looked to Terry happily and then closed her eyes to sleep again, releasing his hand slowly.

-Samurai-

The last time they had seen their son he had gotten married. The last time they had gotten news about him he and Emily had miscarried a baby. Now, he was beaten badly.

But he was awake. At the very least he was awake.

Carmen had loved her son since before he was born; since before she even knew she was pregnant. Not only had she been blessed with a beautiful son, but they had a powerful relationship. Part of it was due to David leaving Mike for a year as a child. Mike had been so distraught, so upset by his father's sudden absence and questionable return and Carmen had cared for him every day, stepping up not only as a mother, but as a father as well. She pushed Mike to be the best he could be, but never pushed him too far. She never made him feel like he wasn't good at something. In return, she got Mike's love. He was a true mommy's boy. She spoiled him, but made sure he was never spoiled. She kept his focused and grounded but always believed in his dreams. She had always believed in him.

But she had had her doubts. After nearly losing her husband to a war she was terrified of losing her baby boy. The time away from him had been difficult, but she had always kept her sights on seeing him again one day. The thought of losing him, of never seeing his smiling face again was enough to kill her.

"He ran right into it," Mike was a little out of it from the medication, but he was telling his version of the final battles. David and Carmen had their doubts about what was real and what was made up by the drugs, but he told a very interesting story. He had always been… creative.

"Xandred ran right into your Spear?" David chuckled. Mike nodded his head.

"It was the unicorn. She deceived him. And then the Smurf… oh dad, you should have seen the little Smurf…"

"A Smurf, huh?" David rolled his eyes but kept a wide grin on his face. He could somewhat decipher Mike's crazy story.

"Dad, this Smurf was like… a blue Katniss! He just… he grabbed his, the thingy that shoots the pointy stuff. It's… like a smaller spear that can fly it's… it's…"

"An arrow?"

"Right in Xandred's chest!" Mike grew excited once again, "And then Xandred, he screamed. He screamed so loud. And then boom!"

"You killed him?"

"All me," Mike grinned proudly and leaned back into his pillow. His eyes were getting heavy again. "You should have seen me, dad. I was so awesome. I kicked his butt, all by myself."

"I'm sure you did," David gave his son a kiss and then he looked up at Carmen, seeing she had tears in her eyes. He took his wife's hand and gave her a smile, "The real story will come back to him. Once he's a little less out there."

"I believe him," Carmen looked down at Mike with a smile, "Well, unicorn and Smurf aside, I believe him. He was amazing out there."

"I saved the world," Mike yawned before he was out of it. Carmen took a seat beside him on the bed and wrapped her arms around him gently.

"My little hero."

-Samurai-

While Ellie inspected Serena's wounds to make sure they were bandaged and cleaned up just right (like any worried mother would), Jack held Emily in his arms as she cried. She had woken up terrified, understandably, and had shot right up into his arms. She sobbed into his chest had hadn't stopped or slowed down once since. As he held his daughter, Jack told her everything he knew about the final battle, hoping to refresh her memory so she would know for herself that she had won and the danger was over, but Emily was finding it hard to believe. Jack couldn't blame her. For two years she and her friends and family had been hunted down and viciously attacked. Emily would always have the scars to remind her of some of the especially cruel Nighlok or cruel situations she had been put in. It was no surprise she was still terrified.

"He is gone, Emily," Jack finally had to push Emily away and look right at her. "You beat him."

Emily couldn't say anything but she nodded her head. Seeing her father and the look he gave her, he was convinced she and the Samurai had won the battle and he would never lie to her, especially about that. She wrapped her arms around his neck once more and held him tight. Her sobs finally started to calm down. Jack hugged her with one arm while extending the other. Serena was fine, he knew that, but he had been scared for her too. He took her in his arms and hugged both his daughters tight.

"There is no way I could be any more proud of either of you," he whispered in both their ears and then kissed their cheeks. "I love you girls."

Ellie watched the scene with tears in her eyes before she heard the door open. Any of the Samurai or their family were welcome to visit but she was sure it would be a while still before anyone wanted to leave their rooms. Then the door opened and Ellie smiled brightly; Kate was back.

"What are you…?" Ellie swallowed her best friend in a hug. She knew Kate had gone to help the Samurai and now knew of her best friend's involvement in the Samurai life, but was surprised to see Kate had truly stuck around for so long.

Kate gave her friend a hug, careful not to squish Storm. The little dog had already seen Emily on the bed and was kicking and whining, demanding she see her mistress. Storm was only allowed in the hospital because the Samurai owned it and Ji had allowed it. The dog was better than most medicine for Emily.

"She's been whining every day," Kate said to Emily as she put Storm on the bed. The dog jumped into Emily's arms and licked her face while Emily hugged her tight and cried into her fur. Jack held his youngest daughter and her dog. Serena got up and walked to Kate. She had sent her aunt away to keep her safe, but also to keep an eye on Terran and James.

"Have you…?"

"They got a huge head start on me, Serena," Kate placed her hands on her niece's shoulders, "As soon as we got the message that it was safe to come home, they couldn't run any faster."

Serena's eyes light up. Kate opened the door for her.

"They're in the waiting room. I thought it would be too crowded in here."

Serena raced out of the room with her heart pounding in her chest.

-Samurai-

Lauren had left Antonio's side for one reason: to check up on Jayden. Antonio had allowed it. He had insisted on it. He had convinced her to leave. More than anything he wanted to know his future husband was okay and Lauren wanted to check up on her baby brother.

Jayden was still sleeping when she got into the room. Ji sat beside him, gently rubbing the back of his head and talking to him. Lauren looked on sadly and pulled up a chair.

"Ji…"

"If anyone can make it, it is Jayden."

Lauren nodded her head. She agreed wholeheartedly. Jayden was the bravest, strongest person she had ever met, and she was desperate to have a life with her baby brother. She had come home with big dreams of having a family. None of that would come true if he didn't make it.

"Lauren," Ji whispered and she looked up. He had his hand inside his kimono and Lauren had been around long enough to know that meant he was going to pull something out. Nothing could ever make her feel better unless her brother woke up.

But she was wrong. From his kimono Ji pulled out a doll and Lauren instantly reached for it and hugged it tight in her arms. She looked up at Ji with tears in her eyes.

"You… You…"

"She's been waiting for you," Ji nodded his head. "There was no way I would throw her out. I remember how much she meant to you."

Lauren smiled brightly as she looked at the doll. She hadn't been the happiest of girls when she found out her mother had been pregnant – especially when she learned she would be getting a baby brother instead of a baby sister. To help Lauren transition from being an only child to a big sister, her mother had bought her a doll.

It had been the last thing her mother had given her (aside from a brother), and Lauren cherished the doll until the day she was snatched from the Shiba House and taken away for her own protection. No one had time to pack anything for her. She had been forced to leave everything behind, including her doll.

Lauren's eyes welled up with tears. Ji got up and walked around the bed. He took Lauren in his arms and kissed the top of her head.

"I will never take your father's place. I will never try to be your parents" he remembered muttering these exact words to Jayden after his father passed, "but you still have a family and you always will have a family. When Jayden wakes up, he will tell you exactly that."

"You're the best, Ji," Lauren wrapped her arms around his neck and kept her doll in her arms. As she hugged Ji tight she looked at her doll. It was in the exact condition it had been when she had left it, like it hadn't aged a single day. Ji had taken care of it. He would take care of her. She needed that.

-Samurai-

Serena raced from Emily's bedroom to the waiting room and found she couldn't make it over fast enough. She stumbled through the doors and dropped to her knees when she saw her husband and son sitting on the chairs waiting for her.

"Terran!" she called him and he turned around. His face looked like he had been crying but his eyes lit up when he saw her and he raced over to her.

"Mama!" he called her and threw himself in her arms. Serena wrapped him up tightly and showered his cheek in kisses as she lifted him up. James rushed over to her side, seeing she looked horrible. He knew she had fought in a war, but even just a paper cut was cause for concern.

"Serena, what the hell happened to you?" he took her in his arms and held her close.

"I want a nap," she whispered as she buried her face in his chest and started to cry. James thought the request was a little odd but he would do anything for her – especially now. Knowing she had Terran safely in her arms and she wasn't ever going to let him go, he scooped her up in his and carried her through the doors.

"The doctors are giving us their lunch room," he told here. "I hear there's a couch there. If you want to nap, we'll nap."

Serena cradled Terran against her chest and looked down at her son through her tear filled eyes. Then she looked up at James and nestled into his chest to make herself comfortable before drifting off to the best sleep of her life.


	83. Trying To Get Better

When Mia was finally a little more aware of her surroundings, a few days later, her grandmother, mother, and her step-mother left her alone in the room with Terry. The two half-siblings had a lot they needed to talk about, and while the worried mothers insisted talk of their father could wait, Mia and Terry wanted to get it all out of the way.

Mia explained everything – well, as much as she could remember. She told Terry how their father had dropped by unannounced and how he had wanted to take her place as pink Ranger. Mia assured Terry she had told him no, but their father had been stubborn. Before they could make it home and convince him he didn't have what it took to be a Samurai or to replace Mia, Dayu had killed him.

Terry had tears dripping down his face and from his jaw but he held his sister's hand tightly. Hearing what had happened before, during, and after his father's death he couldn't imagine the horror Mia had gone through. He had only heard about it, and though he felt robbed, he felt better knowing he hadn't actually witnessed his gruesome murder.

"The head was…"

"I still have nightmares," Mia pulled Terry into her arms, "but everything's going to be okay, I promise."

The door to the room open slowly as a doctor walked in, looking particularly upset. Mia couldn't be sure why but she gently pushed Terry away. She felt fine – given her condition – and they had already checked her thoroughly for long term damage. She was likely going to be in pain for a while, and it would be a long time before he rbody could handle another battle like the one she had just survived (fortunately the Nighlok were gone so that wasn't a concern) but they had promised there was no permanent damage done.

"Miss Watanabe, if you don't mind, we've gotten a few results back," the doctor said and then turned right away to Terry. Mia shook her head.

"Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of him. Is it about the others? Are they okay? Is Kevin…?"

"They are all fine," the doctor assured her, "Jayden woke up yesterday morning and he's been making steady progress since. You should all be able to leave for home in a matter of days."

"So then what is it?" Terry asked, wiping his eyes.

The doctor looked down at his charts. This wasn't a usual hospital. He didn't have too many patients to look out for. Six, at most, when the other doctors were on their coffee break. He had gotten the chance to learn a little about his patients. He knew more than the fact that they were Samurai. While he had been treating them – Kevin and Mia especially as they were his two patients – he had asked them about their plans, keeping their minds focused on a positive future. Mia and Kevin both wanted the white picket fence life and after everything they had given up, he wanted that for them.

He looked down at the papers and felt a lump forming in his throat.

"I'm sorry, Miss. Watanabe," he took in a deep breath. Mia heard the rest of what he said but froze up as soon as he said it and everything suddenly went black.

-Samurai-

Emily hated hospitals. She always had and she always would. But this one wasn't so bad. Her parents could visit her and stay as much as they wanted and for as long as they wanted. Serena was always in and out of the room with Terran and James, and Storm was by her side constantly and even sleeping with her to keep her company during the nights.

More than that, she had a fun and friendly doctor. Ji had set up the hospital knowing the Rangers' needs and knowing how they recovered best. Jayden was mostly tended to by Ji, but he also had a doctor who understood the Samurai life and knew of Jayden's upbringing, and who was also strong enough to keep Jayden down in his bed (Jayden had a nasty habit of trying to fight through his pain). He also shared a doctor with Antonio, and the doctor was more than happy to pass information back and forth between the future husbands. Though he had a strict, strong, silent, but friendly side, he could also be a bit of a goofball which made him the perfect match for Antonio as well. Occasionally, he would pull pranks on Ji or Lauren on Antonio's behalf, just to make Jayden smile.

Mia and Kevin had a logical doctor: one who stuck mostly to the details and didn't trail off on the "what ifs". He was focused on his work, focused on doing his best, and focused on his patients recovering. It put Kevin's mind at ease to know he had a doctor who stayed on task and who was just as committed to seeing him and Mia walking out of the hospital together as he was.

Mike and Emily had the most playful doctor of the group. He was very skilled in medicine (Ji would ask for nothing less for his Samurai) but he also believed strongly in laughter being the best medicine, and any chance he got he made Mike and Emily smile and laugh.

His latest idea involved tin can phones. He had taken two tin cans from the lunch room, connected them with a long (really long) piece of string and he gave one end to Mike and the other to Emily. With a little bit of Symbol Power, courtesy of Serena who also believed her sister's smiles would speed up recovery, the tin can phones worked perfectly and Mike and Emily could talk to each other from one room to the other.

They were also tripping nurses who would occasionally forget there was a piece of string going across the hallway. No harm was done, the doctor made sure of it, but it was always funny when the cans were suddenly ripped from Mike and Emily's hands or pulled off the end tables when a nurse tripped.

Their doctor was also good with magic acts, he made a lot of jokes, and he never lied. Mike and Emily valued honesty and so did he. He never lied to his patients.

He did trick them, though.

He walked into Emily's room as she was playing fetch with Storm. He narrowly avoided a ball to the face and managed to catch himself and the flowers in his hands. Storm caught the ball in her mouth and raced to a corner to chew on it while the doctor walked to Emily's bed.

"You'll never guess what a patient gave me today."

Emily looked at the flowers in his hand. They were sunflowers – her favourite.

"You only look after Mike and me, right?"

"Mostly," the doctor nodded his head, "Alright, alright, joke's over."

Emily smiled and held her arms out to accept the flowers. The doctor laughed.

"Your husband gave me these. Isn't he sweet?"

The smile fell a little from Emily's mouth. The doctor milked the trick a little longer before finally setting the flowers down by her bed.

"I think I left something out," he smirked, "Your husband gave me these… oh, what was that part again? That's right. He gave me these to give to you. Isn't he sweet?"

"He's the sweetest," Emily nodded her head and smiled brightly.

"You're lucky to have him," the doctor grabbed Emily's chart and had a quick look, but to Emily he seemed a little distracted. He looked like he was just staring at the paper instead of just reading. She knew because she had done it all through school – pretending to read so she wouldn't get in trouble with her teachers.

"When can I go home?" she asked him.

"Soon," he promised her. "I like what I'm seeing. If you keep up with the physio, like you promised…"

"I will…"

"Then very soon," he answered and then suddenly smacked her chart against her mattress, "Wait a second. There was something else I was supposed to tell you. You got the flowers, right?"

Emily giggled and pointed to her end table, "Unless there are anymore."

"It was two things. Flowers and… why can't I remember?"

"Did Mike have something else he wanted to say?" Emily asked.

The doctor smirked and picked up Emily's tin can, "Ring, ring, Mike? Mike, answer the phone. Huh, that's weird. Usually he answers right away."

Emily grabbed the can from the doctor and looked into it. Mike did answer right away – all the time. Neither had been allowed or able to get out of bed. It was the other way they could talk to each other.

"Mike?"

"Yeah?"

She heard his voice coming not from the can, but from inside the room. She looked up and saw him standing at the foot of her bed. He seemed a little shaky and weak, but he was strong enough to hold himself up with nothing more than a cane. Emily's eyes watered up. She threw off her blankets and launched herself in Mike's arms.

Their doctor also had fast reflexes. Emily's hug had thrown Mike off balance, but the doctor was fast enough to catch them.

"Careful, love-birds," he pulled them apart just for a few seconds and helped Mike sit on the bed so he and Emily could be in each other's arms without him having to worry about one knocking the other over. "I'll just give you two a little privacy."

Mike cuddled Emily in his arms and kissed her cheek, "I knew it, Em. I knew we would win."

"We really did it," Emily nodded. She nestled deeper into Mike and buried her face in his chest, "We're finally done."

"We can start that life we wanted. I'll find a job, you can go to school. When we're ready we can start a family; this time for real. After everything we've been through, we have nothing to worry about."

-Samurai-

Though most of Terran's visits to the hospital were focused on his aunt, he did take a trip around to visit his other Samurai family members. Today he was with Jayden, helping him during a physio lesson. Jayden, like all the other Samurai, had suffered numerous injuries in the final battle. Some made it impossible to get the Samurai back on their feet right away.

Jayden could walk, but it would take practice before he was strong enough to do so. Terran was helping, though, showing his uncle how it needed to be done. He raced from the wall into his mother's arms and hugged her tight, but glanced over his shoulder to see if Jayden was following.

"I'm trying, buddy. I'm trying," Jayden couldn't get frustrated. Not when Terran was being such a big help. He wobbled on his feet as he walked a few steps and then suddenly fell over, already exhausted and in pain. Lauren was quick to catch him while Ji pulled out the wheelchair for him to sit down and take a break.

"You're doing great," he encouraged Jayden. The red Ranger nodded his head and smiled.

"I defeated Xandred. Walking should be a piece of cake."

"If I can learn to walk again, so can you," Serena gave Jayden a bright smile and then saw Lauren had a lost look on her face. She chuckled, "There are still so many stories we have to tell you. Haven't you wondered why the house was so wheelchair accessible?"

"Maybe I don't want to know."

Jayden's doctor looked to him with a big smile, "Normally I don't make guarantees, but I don't see any reason why you won't walk again. How well depends on how well you stick to your physio sessions."

"He's not giving those up," Lauren promised for Jayden and gave him a pat on the back. Jayden had only just woken up the morning before and he was already taking steps. She was sure he would be fine. He also had motivation for sticking to his sessions once he was discharged from the hospital, "I doubt he wants to be pushed down the aisle."

"I'd rather walk," Jayden nodded his head. "I'll keep up with my sessions, I promise. I'll treat my recover like my training. I'll do everything I need: no excuses."

"I don't know whether to worry about you, or whether I should place a bet on you walking again before the week is done," Serena frowned.

"I know recovering does mean resting and taking it easy from time to time," Jayden assured Serena, Lauren, and Ji. They looked relieved. Even Terran seemed relieved to know his uncle wouldn't push himself too hard.

Serena set her son back on the ground, "Show him, little monkey. Show him you're a much better walker than he is, and you're not even one yet."

Terran stood on his feet but he refused to leave his mother's side. Serena kissed his cheek and lifted him back up in her arms.

"Maybe next time. I'm a little tired too. C'mon, little man, let's go find daddy."

Jayden rolled his eyes and then looked over to Lauren, "I'm going to be fine."

"I know," she smiled and took his hand. Then she looked over to Ji, "I was just thinking how amazing it'll be once we're finally home. Once the family's home."

"I'm excited too," Jayden nodded.


	84. Crowbar

With his parents' help, Kevin was packing his bags. Today was finally the day. He and the other Samurai had been laid up in the hospital and ready to leave for about a week and they were finally well enough to head home to the Shiba House, and then soon after that they would be well enough to start their new lives. Kevin was as excited as one man could get and he couldn't pack his bags quickly enough.

He hadn't been allowed to leave his room much and hadn't seen his friends since the final battle. He had heard from them from the doctors. Jayden was getting better and was walking around on crutches. Antonio was bouncing around and talking his doctor's ear off about going to the lake and spending a day fishing without having to worry about a battle taking place right under his nose. Both Jayden and Antonio were also excited to start researching ideas for a wedding. Given their chosen partners, marriage wasn't allowed in California, but there were other states more open to the idea or marriage equality, as well as other countries. Canada wasn't much farther than some states and Antonio did enjoy travelling.

It was plans for the future. A future that was wide open. Kevin, through the doctor, had congratulated both his friends but was eager to do so properly and in person. He knew how exciting it was to finally know it was time to settle down with one person and share an everlasting love.

Mike and Emily were excited to head home as well, according to the doctors. Apparently, Mike was already thinking about possible job opportunities and was very eager to jump right into the work force and help Emily first finish off high school online and then go to college. They were young still and Kevin, through the doctors, had warned them to take their time, but he knew they would figure everything out for themselves. He knew they would be okay.

He hadn't heard much from Mia, though, which concerned him, but they shared a doctor and he promised she was doing well. She was spending quite a bit of time with her family, and with an unofficial step-mother in the picture Kevin figured there was a lot for her to focus on. Mia had opened up to him about letting her step-mother into her life. Her father had obviously loved her and she was Terry's mother and Mia was more than happy to accept her half-brother into her life. Kevin thought she just needed time for everything to sink in.

But they were all going home and he could finally see her again. He was extremely excited to start talking about the wedding knowing that it was going to happen, without a doubt. There was no more "_once Xandred is out of the way"_. It was going to happen. It would happen soon.

"Well, that's everything," his father zipped up the bag and then carried it for Kevin, "Are you sure you're feeling alright, son?"

"I'm fine, dad," Kevin nodded his head and couldn't contain his smile. His parents looked to each other with a smirk.

"We don't want you to push yourself. Just because the doctors have cleared you, that doesn't mean you're ready to jump right back into the life you knew before. Your body needs time to heal," his father warned him and Kevin rolled his eyes. His parents had been giving him the speech since he had first tried to sit up.

"I'll take it easy, I promise."

"You better," his father said. "We'll drop you off at the Shiba House, we'll help you get a few things set up and then your mother and I have to leave. Ji will be taking care of all of you for a while."

"You're leaving?"

"It's important," his mother assured him. "We've got a gift for you. All of us to all of you."

"We're so proud of you," his father gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder, careful not to drop his hand down too hard. Kevin could stand on his own, but he was still a little… unsteady on his feet.

"I know," Kevin rolled his eyes. They had told him that just as much as they had told him not to push himself too hard. Both his parents laughed and then walked with him to the waiting room. For the first time Kevin saw his friends and his eyes lit up. He grabbed each of them in a hug before his eyes fell on Mia. She was sitting in a chair and there was something wrong. He could tell right away.

"Mi…"

Mia got up, grabbed her own bag and stormed out of the hospital. Terry went after her, calling her name and telling her not to run off so quickly. Kevin seemed very confused and turned to Mia's grandmother. If anyone would know what was wrong with Mia, it would be Mako.

"She got some bad news a little while back," Mako said and then shrugged her shoulders, "She hasn't spoken much since."

"What kind of bad news?" Kevin felt his heart stop for just a moment. She seemed fine, but Mia was great at ignoring her own problems.

"She won't talk about it. Your guess is as good as mine."

"She's not dying, is she?" Emily asked, obviously very worried. The doctors had promised everyone would be okay – even her own doctor who hadn't lied once. But Emily had seen it many times before when Serena had been ill. She had been just a kid and the doctors had lied all the time.

"_Everything's going to be okay, sweetheart,"_ they would kneel down, get to her level, and give her a big smile to make her believe they were telling the truth, _"We've done everything for your sister and she's strong. She's going to be fine."_

"She's not dying," Mako promised while Mike wrapped his arms around Emily.

"You guys just finished a war against a very powerful, very dangerous Nighlok," Carmen said, "Some of you may need more time to bounce back than others. It took David a couple of months before he really opened up to me."

"Give her time and space," Noa said. "Mia will open up when she's ready."

The Samurai all gave each other nervous looks. Noa was Mia's mother, but it was obvious they knew something she didn't. Mia never opened up. She had to be pried open.

With a crowbar.


	85. Heartbroken Goodbyes

Many of the Samurai Rangers were excited to see the Shiba House. It had been home away from home when they first arrived, but after two years of living in the house and calling it home, it had become exactly that. For many of the Samurai, it had been the place where they first found a family; where unlikely people all came together, overcame their differences, and accepted each other as a part of their lives. Eventually, they were as close as family.

"You'll just be staying here a few more days," Christina announced to the Rangers as she helped them unpack a few things they would need while they all rested on stools and chairs. Though they were all on their feet, most of them couldn't walk for long without getting too sore or too tired, and some needing help walking. Jayden, for the foreseeable future, would be making his way around on crutches. "We'll be taking you all home after we get a few things set up there."

"We thought we would give you guys enough time to say goodbye to each other," David said. Once the bags were set and Ji assured the parents he had everything under control they said goodbye to their kids, swearing to return to pick them up and take them home in only a matter of days.

Emily looked down at her hands as she sat on her stool. She was excited to head back to her farm and spend some time with her family. She had missed her parents dearly and was a little eager to get away from the Shiba House and hopefully away from the bad memories of the final battle and all the hell the Nighlok had put her and her friends through.

But she also dreaded the day. The Shiba house had been where she had made her first friends. She had none back home – no one waiting for her but her parents. The Shiba House had been where she had fallen in love and where she had made her own family. The people here didn't love her because they had to. They didn't love her because she was their daughter or because she was their little sister. They loved her for her. The things her classmates at home teased her about was what her friends here loved her for.

Antonio looked saddened as well. He hadn't been teased much in school – not enough to say he was bullied – but he and his father had travelled quite a bit to sell their fish in different towns. Antonio loved the adventure, but he loved having a place to call home with a big, loving family inside. Even if he and Jayden decided to stay in the Shiba House with Ji and Lauren, it would be so empty. Kevin, Mia, Mike, Emily, Serena, James, Kate, Terran, and Storm would all be leaving the big house behind.

Kevin noticed the sad looks first and grinned. He disappeared down the hallway. When he came back, he had a box in his hand. He set it down in front of Emily.

"Get in."

Emily looked to him strangely. He chuckled, "You're living in mine and Mia's attic, remember? Get in, we'll pack you up."

"Make some air holes at least," Serena reminded him. Kevin smiled, grabbed a pencil from the table and poked a few holes.

"Now get in."

"We're going our separate ways," James spoke up as Kevin and Emily started to wrestle playfully with each other, careful not to overdo it. "That doesn't mean we're all splitting up. We'll still see each other."

"Often," Jayden nodded his head. "The Shiba House is home to the Samurai. You guys are welcome here anytime. Day or night. You can all keep your keys."

"That's good, because I think I lost mine," Mike said and turned his pockets inside out, showing they were empty except for a few gum wrappers and lint.

"I don't want to live in an attic!" Emily giggled as she finally got away from Kevin and sat on Mike's lap, wrapping herself in her arms.

"You will live in our attic," Kevin threatened her playfully and then took a seat. He was already exhausted.

Serena shook her head and then looked over at James. They had gotten unofficially officially married before the final battle of the war but so far they had kept things under wraps. The only people who knew about the wedding were Terran, who had been present to see his parents come together, Emily, who had been told the morning after by Serena, and Kate, who had figured it out after a slip of the tongue from James. No one else had any idea.

And now would be the perfect time to announce it. Shifting Terran's weight into one arm, she took James' hand and gave him a big smile.

His heart skipped a beat as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her in. She wanted him to say it. He wanted her to say it.

Emily saw the exchange and remembered what had happened. With the final battle with Xandred approaching when she had found out about her sister she had been easily distracted but now there was nothing holding it in. Serena had sworn her to secrecy but she didn't care. She pointed a finger at them.

"They got married in secret!" she shouted and as the house turned to look at Serena and James, Serena glared at her little sister.

"Three…"

Emily let out a scream and ran off. Serena set Terran down and chased after her. Terran, not wanting his mother to leave his sight, ran after both of them.

Though with all the injuries they had sustained, it was more of a hobble race. Terran could easily keep up.

"You're married?" Mike asked James who nodded his head happily.

"Unofficially official," he answered proudly. "The state won't recognize it yet, but as far as we're concerned, we are husband and wife. We were going to make it legal once the world was saved."

"So you had a private wedding, in secret, without Mia?" Antonio giggled as he turned to the pink Ranger. There was absolutely no excitement in her eyes, "She's a registered minister," Antonio said, "surely you could have squeezed in one more guest to make it legal."

"Like Emily and I did," Mike nodded.

"It was just a family thing," James shrugged his shoulders, "We promised each other to have a ceremony with the rest of you, friends, and my family later."

"As long as it doesn't steal the spotlight from our wedding," Kevin said and he reached out to take Mia's hand. She didn't react to it at all.

Antonio smiled brightly and looked to Jayden, "Or our wedding."

"Yeah," Kevin turned to the two newly engaged Rangers, "Congrats, guys. You deserve each other."

The others all nodded and Jayden leaned a little closer into Antonio and kissed him. Lauren stuck her tongue out. She knew it wasn't her place to say anything about the relationship, and she was happy her brother had found love. She had nothing against gay marriage or relationships. But it was still her baby brother.

"Antonio," Mike whispered, tapping the gold Ranger on the arm after he saw the face Lauren made, "Watch out for big sisters. They will murder you."

Antonio looked up at Lauren, who caught his stare and smiled innocently. Antonio gulped and turned back to Mike.

"I'm going to need pointers."

"I've got a notebook full of them that I can lend you."

"Thanks."

"Mia," Jayden turned to the pink Ranger. She hadn't said much at all since the Rangers had come back together and he had a favour to ask of her. One that would hopefully cheer her up, "There are plenty of people out there who would be more than happy to marry Antonio and I but we were thinking, because you like weddings so much…"

"I don't," Mia shook her head, got up and walked out of the room. The Samurai looked around in confusion before Kevin got up and went after her. He found her in their room, packing up her things.

"What do you mean, you don't like weddings?" he asked as he leaned against the door frame. Mia shrugged her shoulders.

"They're stupid."

"Mia…"

"It's just a pack of empty promises. A big celebration for what?"

"Love," Kevin reminded her. "Mia, I can't promise we'll be together for ever, but I'm committed a hundred percent to doing everything I can to get there."

"I don't believe in it anymore."

"In it, or in me?"

"It. You're amazing, Kevin. You're my prince charming," tears welled up in Mia's eyes as she zipped up her bag, "but I don't want this anymore. I don't want a wedding, I don't want a family, I don't want a white-picket fence."

"Mia," Kevin raced over to her and tried to pull her into his arms but she moved away and walked to the door. As she started to walk out Kevin followed her.

"Mia, I know it's still a little scary. Xandred's gone but it's going to take a while to sink in. We're all a little spooked still and…"

Mia got to the front door. By now those in the common room had gathered behind Kevin, watching in confusion.

"Terry and his mom are staying in a hotel. I won't say which one or where, but I'm staying with them for a few days."

"Mia…"

"They're heading home soon and I'll be on that plane with them. I'll get a job, find my own apartment and…"

"No," Kevin shook his head and took Mia's hands, "Mia, you belong here. With us. If you want to be with Terry, we'll fly out every weekend. I don't know how I'll pay for it but…"

"I've made up my mind," Mia pulled away from Kevin and reached into her pocket. She pulled out her Samuraizer and then her set of keys to the Shiba House. She set then on the table and walked out of the house.

Kevin ran after her. He grabbed her arm when she was halfway down the walkway and spun her around, "Mia, don't you dare leave. What's wrong? Talk to me…"

Mia shook her head, pulled her arm free from Kevin's grasp and then pulled off her engagement ring. She tried to put it in his hand but he wouldn't take it back so she set it on the ground. Kevin looked down at it, completely stunned, and Mia took this opportunity to walk away. When Kevin looked up again she was gone. He fell to his knees, unable to stand anymore.

"Dude…" Mike whispered and he pushed his way past the others and dropped down by Kevin's side. He picked up Mia's ring and tried to give it to Kevin but the blue Ranger shook his head. He got up and walked inside the house. Mike placed the ring in his pocket and then he went after Kevin, refusing to leave his best friend alone after…

Mike wasn't sure what that was. No one was. But it was painful. A door slammed, there was a loud scream, and then something smashed. Silence fell over the front porch as everyone looked to each other hoping they were going to wake up from a nightmare.

The door to the house opened again as Emily walked out carrying a box in her hand. She looked sadly to the others.

"You guys won't believe what… what happened?" she noticed they already looked upset – hurt even. They looked like someone had just died but there was no way they knew. Serena had told her the other Rangers didn't know yet. Clutching the box tightly she let the question slip past her lips, "What happened?"

"What's in the box?" Antonio asked her. Emily shook her head.

"Stop it. I asked first."

"You were going to say it first, before you asked."

Emily gulped. Whatever they had to say couldn't possibly be worse than what she had in her hands Deciding to maybe soften the blow – at least for herself – she gave them what she thought was _the_ bad news first. She opened the lid, revealing her Ape Zord.

"Monkey and the other Zords are dead," she whispered and looked down sadly. She had been wrong before. She had had one best friend back on the farm. Her best friend had come with her to the Shiba House, though. For as long as she could remember – her whole life according to Serena – Monkey had been her first. Her very first friend. "We didn't all make it."

"Emily…" James wrapped his arm around her. He couldn't understand the bond between a Ranger and a Zord but he knew it was strong. All the Rangers had been friends with their Zords. They had taken care of each other and had grown up together. He knew it was hard. "Guys, I'm so sorry."

"That's great," Antonio muttered and clenched his fists tightly, "This is just so fucking great."

"We'll bury them," Emily looked up, hoping she could soften the blow for Antonio. He had been very close to the Octozord. "With Scruffy. Right beside Scruffy and Carrie. They…. they won't be alone. They can… they can be…"

"Emily," James hugged her as she started to tear up. She had given the Rangers bad news, there was no denying that, but it wasn't _the_ bad news.

"What… what did you guys have to say?" Emily looked up at Lauren, Jayden, Antonio, James, Ji, and Kate.

Ji started to head inside the house, "I will get some cocoa started. Mini marshmallows, right, Emily?"

Emily looked from Ji to the others, "What? What happened?" she looked around again and noticed a few faces missing. Serena was putting Terran down for a nap, but Mia, Mike, and Kevin were also gone. "Where are…?"

"Mia left," James whispered softly, like it would somehow make the news seem better. It didn't.

"Where did she go?"

James shrugged his shoulders, "Out?"

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"Did we run out of mini-marshmallows?"

"No."

"Are we running low on groceries?"

"No."

"So why did she go? When is she coming back?"

"I don't know," James shook his head and then sighed, "I don't think she plans on coming back."

The box with the Ape slipped out of Emily's hands and crashed to the ground. James tried to pull Emily back into his arms but she pushed him away. She stormed into the house with everyone following her.

She ran to Kevin and Mia's bedroom and almost ripped the door down when she opened it. Kevin was sitting on the floor beside his bed, practically drowning in his own tears while Mike tried to comfort him.

"Where's Mia?" she shouted and Kevin shook his head. Emily started to tremble.

"We won!" she screamed, "Things can only get better? Where did she go?"

"I don't know!" Kevin shouted back.

"What did you do?"

"She left. She's staying with Terry and then she's going home with him."

"Home?"

"Pennsylvania."

"P… P… P-Pen… Pennsylvania? That's on the other side of the world!"

"Country," Lauren corrected her but it did nothing to help.

"Bring her back!" Emily screamed.

"I can't!"

"Bring her back!"

"She's gone!" Kevin shouted. He got up and walked to his bathroom. He slammed the door and locked it, needing some time to himself.

Emily let out a hellish scream and pushed her way out of the room and stomped down to her own.

The others were frozen in their spot. Mike, especially, had no idea what to do. He couldn't leave Kevin alone. His fiancée had just walked out on him for no reason. His best friend couldn't abandon him too.

"We'll keep an eye on Emily," James promised Mike, "Just keep working on Kevin."

"Don't let her shut down," Mike told them as the others started going after Emily, only to find the door to her bedroom was locked.

Serena finally came down the halls with a screaming Terran in her arms. All the noise was keeping him from settling down for his nap, and since he had been torn away from his mother so suddenly, he wouldn't fall asleep unless he knew she was by his side. Serena couldn't let him cry himself to sleep so the house needed to be quite.

"Guys!" she shouted at the Samurai gathered in the hallway, "Terran needs a nap. You guys aren't…"

"It's Emily," James explained. "She's…"

"Just give her some space. She loved Monkey."

"Mia walked."

"So?"

"Away."

"Which way?"

"Don't know."

"Leave me alone, Mike!" Kevin shouted as he suddenly burst from his room. As he stormed down the hall he knocked everything down: bonsai, tables, shelves, stools, chairs, pictures. "I'm leaving! Screw this. Screw everything. Thanks for nothing, Samurai!"

"Kevin!" Mike called him and ran all the way to the door but he wouldn't go further. He couldn't go further. It meant he would be leaving too and he couldn't do that.

"Keep your phone on you and on at all times," Serena told Mike and signalled for him to take off after Kevin before he got too far away. "If it rings, answer it, no matter what."

Mike turned around and looked at Serena, "But…"

"You don't bring him back and it's all going to hell anyways," Serena said as she jiggled Emily's door, trying to get it open. She saw Mike still standing in the hallway, "Go!"

"I'm coming back," he promised and grabbed his jacket, "Tell her I'm coming back."

"I know," Serena nodded, "When you do, bring Kevin with you. At least."

Mike nodded his head and raced out the door, following Kevin out into the forest before he got too much of a head start.

"What's going on?" Lauren asked. She knew about as much as the others about what had happened, but given the urgency it seemed there was something she was missing. Mia leaving was sad. Kevin and Mia breaking up was even sadder. Kevin getting angry and storming out hurt.

But the Samurai were on a very different level from her. To her, this was all sad. A tragic beginning to lives the Rangers didn't expect.

To the others, it seemed like this was a very tragic end.


	86. Still A Family

When Mike found Kevin he was beating up a tree, letting out his frustrations on the trunk and if Mike knew his best friend even just a little bit, he knew just how frustrated and hurt Kevin was. The blue Ranger loved Mia with all his heart, there had never been any doubt about that and then, seemingly for no reason at all Mia left him. No explanation, no real goodbye, not even a promise to return. She was somewhere in the city and soon she would be on a plane headed across the country. Kevin would only see her again if he was lucky.

Mike knew how punching something could help, and he appreciated how Kevin hadn't made the same mistake he had and had chosen to take out his anger on something that couldn't feel pain, but it wouldn't help him and the trunk of the tree was hurting him. Kevin's knuckles were bleeding. Mike grabbed the blue Ranger and pulled him back, locking his arms around him. He held him back, away from the tree, and tried to keep him still until he relaxed. Kevin fought for a bit but his injuries wore him out faster than Mike and he eventually dropped to his knees. Mike pulled him in for a hug.

"Dude, it sucks."

"One good reason, Mike," Kevin whispered and punched the ground. "I just want one good reason for why she would just leave. There's something… she's not herself."

"We all got that," Mike assured him. "I believe that. The Mia we know would never, ever hurt you like that."

"Was I just a lie?" Kevin looked at his bloody hands with tears, "Did she think we wouldn't survive? Was I just her prince charming in case she died and never got a happy ending?"

"No way," Mike shook his head. "Dude, Mia loved you. She loves you…"

"You don't know. That whole time, it could have all been an act. It would have to be. Even… even if I had to leave her I couldn't just… I couldn't just walk away like that. I got… I got duped."

"No. No Kevin, there's no… No," Mike pulled Kevin in for a hug and held him tight, "Mia loves you. I swear on my life she does. Something happened. We just finished up a war. We're all scared. Maybe even a little different. Mia's going to need time to figure herself out. She'll be home soon begging for you to take her back. And you will. You'll take her back without a second thought because you love her and she loves you. You'll like happily ever after and…"

"I'm going home," Kevin whispered and he pushed himself up to his feet and turned back towards the house. "Home, home. I can't stay. I'm sorry, Mike. I'm sorry for everything."

"Don't leave, dude. We'll help you. We'll…" when Mike saw Kevin wasn't changing his mind he jumped on the blue Ranger's back and hugged him from behind. Kevin stopped in his tracks and groaned.

"What are you doing?"

"Not letting you go. You'll need help, dude. We may not been the Samurai Rangers anymore but we're still a family."

"Mike…"

"No. Don't deny it. Don't pull a Jayden and think this whole friendship thing is bullshit," Mike let go of Kevin and spun him around, "You're my best friend. No matter what. Whether you and Mia are married, engaged, or at each other's throats. I'm here for you, and so is the rest of the house. No matter what."

"Mike…"

"No matter what. Please don't leave, Kevin. We need to stick together, now more than ever. If we don't now we never will."

"I'm sorry…"

"Dude, I gave up my second chance for you! You remember how I died and gave you the second life I was promised so you could live?"

"So I could live with Mia…"

"You're alive now, because of me. You owe me a debt you can never repay! Stay with your family! Stay with us. Please let us help."

"Fine."

"Dude, please!"

"Mike, I said fine," Kevin looked down at his little brother with a ghost of a smile. He was still deeply hurt by Mia leaving but Mike was right. Kevin couldn't leave his family. He couldn't do what Mia had done. No matter the reasons he had for dropping everything, saying screw-it-all to the Samurai life, he couldn't leave behind the people he loved.

Mike smiled and wrapped his arms around Kevin, "Thank you. Let's go home, okay. We'll figure something out."

-Samurai-

The door on the lock couldn't be opened so James had to break the door down with his shoulder and he, Serena, Jayden, Antonio, Lauren, and Kate rushed into Emily's room to look for her.

But the yellow Ranger was gone. The bathroom door was locked which terrified Serena. Emily had never intentionally tried to kill herself, but had once accidentally put herself in a situation where it did look like an attempt at suicide.

And given all the Rangers had been through with the war and now coping with the after effects of the war, Serena couldn't take her chances. As she pounded on the bathroom door, swearing to her sister she would break it down if Emily didn't open the door right away, the others searched the room. Emily was small enough to hide almost anywhere.

Kate checked the window. It was also opened. There was a chance Emily had fled. It wouldn't be the first time she had gotten so upset she had run off.

Jayden checked the closet and Antonio pushed some furniture around. James was with Serena, beating on the door.

Terran, needless to say, was screaming. Eventually Serena gave up beating up the door and hugged her son close to her chest while James broke the door down. They searched the bathroom but found nothing.

As Antonio was about to move the bed to see if Emily had hidden behind it, Lauren thought she heard something. She signalled to Antonio to stop what he was doing and then she crouched down. She lowered herself until she was lying flat on her stomach and looking right under the bed. Antonio rubbed the back of his neck.

"I was going to check there next."

Lauren crawled on her stomach and stuck her head under the bed. She pulled out her Samuraizer, traced a symbol and a small flame appeared from the screen, lighting up the underside of the bed and Emily's face.

"Why are you hiding under there?" Lauren asked. Emily buried her face in her arms and didn't say a word.

The other Samurai carefully lowered themselves to their stomachs and surrounded the bed.

"We're hurting too, Emily," Jayden told her. "Come out from there and we can talk about it."

Emily shook her head and pushed something towards Jayden. He reached for it and pulled it out.

"What is it?" James asked from the other side of the bed.

Jayden looked at the object in his hand sadly. He knew exactly what it was. The Lion Zord had made one at the bottom of his closet.

"It's a nest. The Zords sleep in them. They gather stuff around the house and build a bed for themselves. It's… a little home for them."

Serena reached her hand out to Emily, "Sweetie, please come out of there."

Emily shook her head and held out her hands. On one hand she held out three fingers, on the other she had two.

"What are you saying? Use your words, Emily. I can't…"

"Put one finger down," Kevin suddenly appeared beside Emily and looked under the bed. He was home and it seemed he knew exactly what she was trying to say. Emily looked to him and then to Mike, who appeared right beside Kevin. She gave her husband a little smile before she turned back to Kevin and lowered the index finger, leaving only her middle one up. Mike couldn't help but chuckle slightly and Kevin nodded his head.

"I know, Em. I'm sorry."

"You're back," Jayden looked across the bed at Kevin and Mike with a little smile. Then his look seemed to sadden, "About Mia…"

"I don't really feel like talking about that right now," Kevin shook his head. "I will eventually, though. I just need some time to figure it out. But I'm not leaving. None of us are, right?"

He looked around the underside of the bed and saw everyone shaking their heads. He was right. They weren't leaving.

"Come out, Emily," he reached out and could touch Emily's arm. He didn't want to force her out from under the bed but he, like the others, wanted her to come out. Emily nodded her head and started to crawl forward. With a little help from Kevin who pulled her, she slipped right out from under the bed.

"Cocoa is ready," Ji announced from the doorway. "There are mini-marshmallows and cookies waiting on the table as well. I set enough seats for everyone."

"C'mon, Emily," Mike wrapped his arms around her and walked out with everyone but Kevin. He hung back and sat down on Mike and Emily's bed. He counted the fingers Emily had held up again. He knew it was the people she had lost but he was sure he had counted one too many. The two on her one had had been him and Mia who had suddenly stormed out on her and the rest of the Samurai, but the three on the other.

"Scruffy, Carrie and…"

A box was suddenly placed on his lap. Kevin looked up and saw Ji had come back. He opened the box and tears filled his eyes again. Gently, he picked up the dead dragon Zord.

"What…"

"It was the ultimate sacrifice. The Zords gave that final battle everything they had. Unfortunately, it was necessary."

"Are they all…?"

Ji nodded his head sadly, "I fear it is a good thing Xandred and the Nighlok were defeated for good. There will be no more Zords from this moment on. Their lives have come to an end.

Kevin gently set the Dragon back on the pillow in the box and closed the lid. He placed his hand on top and shed a few tears. Ji sat down beside him.

"This time is tough," he assured the blue Ranger. "It is a time for celebration, but it is also a time for mourning. I'm afraid your lives will never be the same again."

"I understand. It's going to be rough…"

"But not necessarily bad," Ji placed his hand on Kevin's shoulder. "You will figure everything out, I promise."

"What about Mia?"

"The best love is a love worth fighting for. If you believe things are over I understand completely. If you aren't ready to give up yet, I might have something that can help."

"What?"

"Don't you find it odd the city was completely evacuated, and yet Terry and his mother were able to book a hotel room?"

"Friends of yours, Mentor?"

Ji gave Kevin a little grin and pulled out a small piece of paper from his kimono.

"After hot chocolate you can try to talk with her once more," Ji assured him. "Do not expect an instant fix, but I hope things will work out for you in the end. No matter which way this goes."

"Thanks, Mentor."

"Anything for my Samurai," Ji gave Kevin a hug and then helped him up to his feet. "By the way, I snuck a little extra marshmallows in your mug. I know you love them."

Kevin nodded his head and licked his lips. It wasn't a traditional Samurai drink but he did love cocoa with marshmallows.


	87. Hot CHocolate And Bad Dreams

Lauren stared at her hot chocolate and marshmallows nervously.

She had never had hot chocolate before. She had never had marshmallows before. This was new and strange.

"It's a winter delicacy," Mike assured her, pushing her mug closer.

"Kevin had that same look on his face when the marshmallows landed in his mug," Jayden chuckled, seeing the look on Lauren's face. It was intrigue and disgust. Lauren looked like she wanted to try it, but also looked like she was ready to push it aside and get a cup of water instead. "He tried hot chocolate and marshmallows for the first time here in the house, and he loved it."

"I did," Kevin nodded his head as he walked into the room and took a seat in front of his mug of cocoa, "Best reasons to get up in the middle of the night. I'll remember that day fondly."

"Wasn't that the night Emily had a nightmare?" Jayden asked and looked to Mike with a grin, "because you took her to see a Zombie movie?"

Mike, who had Emily sitting on his lap, shrugged his shoulders. She didn't look like she was ready to talk anytime soon so he had the chance to deny it all he wanted.

"When did that happen?" he shook his head, "Dude, Emily's terrified of Zombies. I would never…"

"No, Jayden's right," Kevin nodded, "Emily had that nightmare about Zombies."

"You took my sister to a Zombie movie?" Serena asked with a bit of a laugh, "And she gave you a second chance? She must really love you. Really, really, love you."

"I protected her," Mike pouted. He turned his look to Emily, "Right? You safe with me, right?"

"I don't get it," Lauren asked. "What's so scary about Zombies? What are Zombies?"

"They eat brains," James explained to her. "Imagine something coming back from the dead with torn flesh, missing limbs, rotting… everything, and it comes after you to rip you open and eat your brains."

"That would never happen."

"You've never seen Mike in the very early morning, then," Antonio teased and shot Mike a glance. The green Ranger glared at the gold. Emily slipped off Mike's lap and went to sit in her own chair. Mike did look a lot like a Zombie in the very early hours of the morning, and the thought was enough to freak her out. Antonio chuckled, "See. She agrees with me."

"I won't eat you, Emily," Mike assured her. Emily shrugged her shoulders and sipped her cocoa. Then she turned to Lauren, inviting the red Ranger to do the same. Lauren gulped, put the mug to her lips and took a sip.

"Wow…" she whispered when she put the mug down, "That was… It was… That was amazing! Is there anymore?"

"Plenty left in your…" Ji started but Lauren chugged the hot-chocolate and the marshmallows, very likely swallowing them whole. Ji was happy they were the little ones or she would have choked. Lauren held her mug out when she was done.

"Seconds, please."

"I will make another batch," Ji said with a laugh and he turned on the stove.

Serena reached out and grabbed Lauren's mug. It was still hot, "Isn't your mouth on fire? Mine's barely cool enough to drink?"

"My taste buds are dead," Lauren shrugged with a smile, "but it was so good, it was worth it."

"Welcome to the whack-pack," Serena breathed and leaned back in her seat. She looked to James with a slight shake of the head, "_I'm_ the normal one of the family. Get away before it's legal. Run, James. Run."

James smiled to Serena and then turned to Lauren, "Want to know what else mini marshmallows are good for?"

"What?"

He grabbed two marshmallows and stuck them up Serena's nostrils. The table laughed but Serena was not amused.

Well, she was, but she had to act like she wasn't. Someone needed to be normal.

Ish. Normal-ish. When James wasn't looking she stuck a marshmallow in his ear.

-Samurai-

Terry handed his sister a hot chocolate. She sat in the hotel bed, hugging a pillow to her chest and staring at a blank TV screen. He hated seeing her this way and hoped maybe a sweet drink would cheer her up.

"Mom makes amazing hot-chocolate."

Mia took the mug and set it on the end table by the bed, "I'm not thirsty."

"You're not anything, Mia."

"No, I'm not," she shook her head. "Terry, everything I've ever dreamed of is gone."

"I know we don't know each other that well, but I'm pretty sure that's not true. You're not just…"

"Terry, it's been a dream of mine my whole life," Mia told him with a growl. He would never understand. "I've wanted this since before I knew what it really was! Now it's ripped away from me."

"Mia…"

"You don't get it, Terry. Don't try to understand it because you can't. You just can't."

"Fine," Terry walked to the other bed and sat down. He turned on the TV. "I guess I'll never understand why you think you can't ever be a mom."

"Terry…"

"You can't get pregnant, Mia. That's it. That doesn't mean you have to walk out on the others. That doesn't mean you can't get married and start a family. It just means you won't ever be pregnant. It's hard, I know, but you're…"

"I'm what?"

"You have a home with mom and me, I promise," Terry looked to Mia sadly. "If this is really what you want to do then I'll help. We both will. But I think it's a bad decision."

"You don't know. Terry. You're never going to understand."


	88. Her Problem Their Future

Lauren needed to step outside for a moment. After finishing the hot chocolates, the Rangers moved into the common room and they continued to discuss their time as Rangers. Lauren heard more about their lives in the last few hours than she had since coming to the house. She found it fun listening to the silly stories of Nighlok attacks gone wrongs, pranks, jokes, or just moments where one Ranger had a little too much energy (sugar) in their system and needed to get it out.

But she never had anything to add to the stories. She hadn't been there. Unlike Serena, James, Antonio, or Kate, she hadn't joined the team early enough to really have any memories. It had barely been a month since her arrival. What could she really say? Though she enjoyed hearing of her friends and her brothers, it got to the point where she had had enough and needed to step outside. She cradled her arm close to her chest. She no longer had a right to complain it was sore. She had one broken bone and very few scrapes. The Rangers still looked like they had gotten their asses kicked. No one would believe they had come out of a war as the winners.

She wished she had memories and friendships like everyone else in the house. It going to take time and she had prepared herself for that; but they were already so close. She didn't feel excluded. They were doing all they could to bring her into the family and she appreciated the effort. Still, she wished she had gotten the chance to spend a little more of their Samurai lives with them.

She wiped her eyes, massaged the upper part of her arm and then started back inside the house only to stop when she heard the dirt shifting slightly. She spun around and a Spin Sword appeared in her hand.

"Xandred's gone," it was Kevin's voice but he was supposed to be long gone. She made a flame appear and saw Kevin was still in the yard, standing in the cold with the piece of paper Ji had given him in his hand.

"I thought you were going to find Mia," Lauren's Spin Sword disappeared and she walked down the steps. Kevin shrugged his shoulders.

"I want her to come home. I want to help with whatever she's going through. I just… I don't know what to say. She's never run away from me like this."

"Yeah, I heard," Lauren looked over her shoulder and through the common room window. The others were still exchanging stories, and from the looks of things, they were having a laugh at Mike's expense. "You two really loved each other."

"Mike said the same thing," Kevin scoffed and sat down on a stone bench. Lauren sat next to him.

"Because it's true."

"Can you come with me?" Kevin asked. Lauren shrugged her shoulders.

"I really wouldn't know what to say."

"You're a girl."

"So?"

"Girls are complicated."

"We are?"

Kevin chuckled and gave Lauren a gentle pat on the back, "Just wait until you start dating."

Lauren looked over her shoulder again and then nodded to Kevin, "I've had enough of memory lane for now. If you really want someone to go with you I'll tag along. I can't promise I'll be any help, though."

"Moral support is help enough."

Lauren smiled, "Let's go get your fiancée back."

-Samurai-

Megan had left the hotel room to get something for dinner. Terry and Mia needed to be fed, and with the city still evacuated, finding food to bring back to the hotel was no easy task.

While she was out, possibly for hours, Terry was left to care for his sister. Despite that fact that she was years older than he was, Megan had put him in charge. Mia clearly wasn't thinking straight.

Terry flipped through the TV channels. Anything was wasn't cartoons was the news covering the heroic battle between the Rangers and the lord of the Nighlok. Over and over news anchors, people on the streets, families, and celebrities thanked the Samurai for saving the world and for all their hard work.

They were cold thank yous, though. None of these people had any idea what the Samurai had really done for them. Most of the world had assumed the Samurai were young adults chosen for their bravery and strength. They had no idea the Samurai were still just kids trying to figure out their lives while carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. They had no idea what kind of sacrifices the Samurai had made and how it would impact their lives forever. Mia could no longer have her own children. Terry hadn't known her for long, but he had heard stories about her from their father. Mia had always wanted to be a mother. She would mother her dolls, her toys, her friends, any animal (wild or domestic), and sometimes even her parents.

He felt sympathy for Mia. She would have made a great mother and it was her only dream in life to have that normal family she so desperately craved. Just when it seemed that door could finally be opened for her, someone slammed it shut in her face and locked it.

"You know," he started as he turned to her, hoping he could maybe cheer her up, "There is adopt…"

"Shut up, Terry," Mia growled. "You don't get it."

"I'm just trying to help."

"You're not help at all."

Terry groaned before he heard a knock at the door. Thinking it was his mother with her hands full he got up to let her in. He was surprised when he saw it was Kevin and Lauren at the door. Kevin asked if he could walk in but Terry shook his head. He stepped into the hallway with them.

"Mia doesn't want to talk to anyone," he looked up to what he hoped was still his future brother in-law. "She's… not feeling well."

"Terry, please just let me inside. She broke up with me. I deserve to know why."

Terry sighed loudly and then opened the door to his room again, "Mia, Kevin's got a point. You owe it to him to…"

"Where is Mia?" Lauren asked as she looked around. The hotel room wasn't tiny (Megan had taken advantage of the vacancy to upgrade) but it wasn't big enough for anyone to hide. As Lauren went to check under the bed, Kevin turned to Terry.

"Where is she?"

"She was right here," Terry answered with a loud groan. "She must have heard your voice."

"She's not under the bed," Lauren announced and then walked into the bathroom to check. As she did that, Kevin felt a draft and turned to the door that led to the balcony. He pulled back the curtains but the balcony was empty. He stepped outside. Terry stepped out with him and sighed.

"Mia might kill me for telling you."

Kevin turned to the younger boy. Terry let out a deep breathe.

"The doctor told Mia she can't get pregnant."

Kevin felt his world turn upside down and his knees buckled, causing him to fall over. Fortunately, Terry was fast enough to catch him. He called Lauren out to the patio and the two of them walked Kevin to the bed and sat him down. Terry got him a glass of water.

Kevin took the water from his hand and held it in his own. He stared down at it. He wasn't upset – not at Mia – but he was shocked. He had never been crazy for the perfect family life like she had been, but it he had always thought of one day settling down with a wife and having kids. If Mia couldn't get pregnant, he couldn't have kids.

Well, he could. Nothing was stopping Kevin from having kids. He was fine. He was fertile (no one had told him otherwise, at least), but having kids and starting a family meant nothing to him if it wasn't with Mia.

He was hurt though. Not so much by the news. He could find another way to reach his and Mia's dreams. Already a couple came to mind. There was surrogacy and adoption. They could have kids. No one had said that wasn't an option for them. They just couldn't have kids the traditional way. Mia would never carry her own child.

Kevin was hurt because Mia couldn't tell him. This was a big problem, but it was their problem. He was more than ready to tackle it with her and find solutions. They would work around this little road block and find some other way of reaching her dream – their dream.

Mia couldn't get pregnant, but this issue concerned them both. Kevin drank the water, thanked Terry, got up and left. Lauren and Terry looked to each other, slightly confused, before Lauren went after Kevin and Terry tried to call his sister on her cell phone.

"Kevin, wait up…" Lauren called as she chased him down the hall and just barely made it into the elevator with him.

"She made her choice. Obviously I don't matter enough…"

"Kevin, you don't get it."

"She won't let me get it. I don't love her just for that. I'm not marrying her so she can give me kids!"

"Kevin…"

"Just shut up," the elevator reached the main floor and Kevin stepped out. He stormed out of the hotel, leaving Lauren behind.

With no more Nighlok to worry about, Lauren didn't have to follow Kevin around and be his buddy. She didn't have to make sure he got home safe. The Nighlok were gone, the city was evacuated, and he was a Samurai. He would be fine. Wherever he wanted to go, he would make it there.

Lauren would be safe to. She had no idea where Mia had gone, but she was going to her.

And she was going to find her before she boarded that plane and headed across the country.


	89. Called Off

Kevin had gotten home from the hotel and he called a meeting with the others. They knew he had gone out to find Mia and have a talk with her, but given the way he was pacing it obvious the talk didn't go well.

Given the way he was fuming, it was obvious there was no talk. Instinctively, Mike sat furthest away from Kevin. Though the blue and green Samurai were the best of friends, they did have a habit of going after each other when they were angry.

Emily bolted into the room happily, arriving last to the meeting and she thought the meeting had been called because Kevin had convinced Mia to come home and now everyone was going to help her with whatever was troubling her. It was how the Samurai had learned to deal with their problems. They got help.

She raced in excitedly, had a look around, and then saw Mia wasn't in the room. She looked to her friends and then she looked to Kevin.

"M… Mia's not…"

Kevin shook his head sadly and invited Emily to take a seat. Lauren hadn't come home with him to share the news of what they had learned, so it was his responsibility to inform the others of what had happened. It was his choice whether to tell them or not. He felt he had that choice. It was Mia's _condition_, but it was their problem. The Samurai also had a right to know why their Momma Pink had abandoned them without a word. They were coming back from it, but her absence would never go unnoticed. She had been a big part of everyone's lives since the day they met.

"Whatever it is, we're here for you," Jayden assured Kevin with a comforting smile. Kevin shook his head.

"Mia's made up her mind. The wedding is off."

"What?" there were gasps and cries from all around the room. Mia and Kevin's wedding was supposed to be _the_ wedding to attend. Everyone had been looking forward to it. The wedding promised to be an amazing night simply because Mia loved them so much and planned on pulling out all the stops for her own.

They were also upset for Kevin. They all knew how much he loved Mia. He was a different person when she was around, and just the mention of her name would brighten him up instantly. This was a big blow to them, but it was a heartbreaking tragedy for Kevin.

"It's not off. You guys can figure this out…"

"No, Antonio, we can't," Kevin shook his head. "I went to talk to her today and… I didn't even get to see her. She made her choice. We're over. The best thing I can do is move on. It's obvious this was never meant to be. Now, if you guys don't mind, I'd like to be alone."

"I'm coming to check up on you later," Mike called as Kevin walked out of the room looking miserable. Silent fell over the other Rangers as they glanced around at each other, unsure of what to say or do.

"What do you think it is?" James finally broke the silence. "What happened to Mia?"

"It's got to be big," Jayden said. "Mia wouldn't call off the engagement unless the world was ending."

"It won't last, will it?" Emily asked very softly, obviously deeply upset. Problems like these always hurt her the most, and it wasn't like it was the first time someone she cared for deeply had walked out of her life without a word. "She'll… realize she was wrong and come back, right?"

Before the others could come up with an answer the front door opened up and Lauren stumbled into the house. She walked past the common room but stopped for a moment when she saw everyone gathered there. She was cradling the side of her face with her hand and looked a little roughed up.

"Is Kevin home?" she asked and tried to ignore the looks she was getting. She knew she looked like she had gotten her ass kicked. She had.

"What happened?" Jayden asked her and slowly got up and walked over to her. Lauren shrugged her shoulders to brush it off.

"Tried to talk with Mia before she left for the airport. I made some compelling arguments for why she should come home but she's… not in the right state of mind."

"She punched you?" Jayden asked and tried to get Lauren to show him the side of her face. She brushed him off gently.

"It's not like I've never been punched before. I'll be fine. Emily, want to show me which bag of peas is for getting punched in the face?"

Emily shook her head no and stared at the floor. Mike wrapped his arms around her and kept her close. Serena got up and walked with Jayden and Lauren to the kitchen to help with the peas.

"Things will work out," Antonio whispered as he looked around the room. "We always hit these bumps. One of us does something stupid, smartens up, we forgive each other and then…"

Emily shook her head again and pulled out her cell phone. It was already on speaker as a voice spoke on the other end.

"… _is no longer available. Please check you have the right number and try your call again."_

"Who did you call?" Kate asked her. Emily held up the phone, showing Mia's name on the screen. Then she tossed the phone across the room.

"We were going our separate ways, but we promised we would never leave!" she shouted, "Mia promised she and Kevin weren't going to move to the other side of the stupid planet!"

"Emily…"

Emily let out a cry as she got to her feet, flipped her stool over, and then stormed out of the room. Mike clenched his fists until his knuckles were white. He could only guess what would come now. He expected silence, and a lot of it. Emily didn't cope well with abandonment because it had never treated her well. She would shut down. He didn't want it to happen, but he couldn't blame her for doing it. He wasn't exactly in the best mood either. He could feel his anger flaring up, and it was taking all the willpower he had not to do what Emily had done. If he let himself flip one stool, the whole common room would be trashed and people would get hurt before he knew how to stop.

"I'm going on a walk," he said as he got up. "I'll be back."

Antonio, James, Ji, and Kate nodded and let him go. Ji started to pull out his phone.

"Your parents had a surprise planned for you all tomorrow. Maybe I'll just…"

Kate shook her head. She knew what the parents had planned and it was a bit of a risk, but right now it seemed the Samurai needed a bit of cheering up. If there was any hope their parents could bring back a little joy and celebration for their big win, Kate wanted to take it.

"If we handle it properly, it might help. It'll, at least, take their minds off things for a while."

"And if it can't?" James asked nervously and looked over to the kitchen where Lauren had the peas pressed to a very bruised cheek. He could already see the bruise from the other room. Lauren had gotten her ass handed to her by Mia. There was obviously something very wrong if Lauren was in over her head with anyone. The fire Samurai had spent her entire life doing nothing but training and was far more skilled than the others in one-on-one.

"Do you really think things can get worse?" Kate asked and James shrugged his shoulders. It didn't feel like it could get worse, but he had learned something important living in the Shiba House. Things always found a way of getting so much worse than they could possibly be. So he hoped, for everyone's sake, Kate's gamble paid off for the best.


	90. Little Pink Ranger

Mia hugged herself to keep warm. After hearing Kevin's voice outside her hotel door, and hearing Terry was going to let him in, she couldn't remember much of what had happened. All she knew what that she had to get away. She couldn't face him. Knowing she could give him the family they wanted, and knowing she would never have the family they wanted, she had to get away and find some other purpose for her life. From the time she was a little girl, all she could remember was wanting to have that perfect family: finding the perfect man and marrying him, going out on the perfect honeymoon, buying a house, starting work, eating dinner around a table every night and eventually adding kids into the mix. She couldn't wait for the day where her husband would come home from work and she would jump into his arms and announce they were expecting a child.

That would never happen anymore. The doctor had made it very clear that she couldn't get pregnant. She would never be able to carry a child. Everything she knew about herself disappeared in that moment and she couldn't face the others. She was a different person, and whoever she was now didn't belong with her old friends. She needed to go somewhere else and find out what she could be now that she couldn't be herself.

Unfortunately, she had rushed out of the hotel and climbed down the fire escape so quickly she had forgotten to take a jacket. It was getting late now, and so the temperature had dropped significantly and she was freezing cold. It was also the first snowfall of the year, and with the deserted city it looked beautiful but Mia was in no mood for beauty or cheer.

She had never stolen anything in her life before, but she had just saved the world and one jacket couldn't hurt. Breaking into the store was easy and taking a coat off the rack was even easier. She slipped into the jacket and walked outside again, hoping she would be able to find a place to sleep.

Somewhere the others couldn't find her.

The homes were all abandoned. People had either died or fled when Sanzu Water came flooding into the world and the Nighlok began to invade. Mia walked to a residential area and she tried all the doors – hoping someone had left in such a rush they had forgotten to lock. She didn't need to go far before a door opened up and invited her inside. She turned on the lights but the power was lost and with no one left in the city to fix it, she wouldn't be getting any power anytime soon. Not until people started to come back to Panorama City – if they ever would.

She found the kitchen and looked into the fridge. She wasn't proud of what she was doing. Stealing and breaking into homes and stealing from those homes weren't something she would ever condone, but she had no other choice – and the food would likely spoil by the time the residents returned anyways. At least, that was how she justified it to herself. She grabbed some bread and meats from the fridge to make herself a sandwich, hoping they hadn't gone too bad by now.

As she made herself something to eat, she heard creaking from the second floor. She didn't think much of it until the creaking continued down the stairs and slowly approached the kitchen. Mia ducked behind the counter, hoping whoever was coming closer wouldn't see her and would leave. Then she would run and find another home. One that was truly empty.

"M…Mommy?" a little voice called and she sounded terrified. Mia carefully poked her head out from around the corner and peeked at what looked to be a miniature version of herself. It was a young girl in a Pink Samurai Ranger mask, holding up a toy sword in one hand and clutching a toy turtle in the other hand. Mia couldn't help but smile slightly at her little fan, but still wasn't sure about coming out of hiding just yet. The girl had called for her mother but it was still possible her father was home and about to come down the stairs.

"Daddy?" the little girl called again and Mia's heart broke as she wondered what a little girl was doing all alone in an abandoned city after what was almost the end of the world. Mia crawled out from behind the counter, keeping herself as small as possible knowing that almost anything would frighten the little girl.

She did get scared. When the girl saw someone had come into her house she screamed. She dropped the toy Spin Sword, screamed at the top of her lungs and ran back upstairs. She tripped halfway up the stairs though and came tumbling back down. Mia rushed over to help her.

"It's okay," she whispered softly as she knelt down and helped the little girl to her feet. "I'm not here to hurt you. I'm Mia."

Mia felt fortunate she had experience with little kids. Before becoming a Ranger she had worked at a day care. A lot of kids would be very scared on their first day because their parents had left them in a room full of strangers. Mia had practiced several times getting kids to trust her and she was always successful.

"What your name?" she asked the little girl. The girl adjusted the pink Ranger mask on her face.

"I'm the Pink Samurai Ranger."

"You are?" Mia asked with a little chuckle, "You must be really brave."

The girl nodded her head nervously. Mia could tell she was terrified. Unlike the real helmets, the masks didn't cover the eyes. She could look right into the little girl and read her like an open book. She gave the girl a smile.

"Do you like ham sandwiches? I made one. Are you hungry?"

The little girl nodded her head so Mia got up and started to walk to the kitchen. The little girl followed her, making sure to keep a safe distance between herself and the stranger until Mia held out the sandwich and the girl dove for it, almost swallowing it whole.

"You were very hungry."

As the girl swallowed her last bite she readjusted the mask on her face again, not wanting Mia to see who she was.

"How old are you, pink Ranger?" Mia asked as she started to make another sandwich for herself. The little girl held up four fingers. "Four? Wow, you're such a big girl. It's no wonder you're so strong and brave."

"How old are you?" the little girl's voice was barely even a whisper, but Mia heard it. In the big, empty house there was nothing that could drown out her voice.

"Twenty-three."

"Whoa."

"Yeah, that's old, isn't it?"

The little girl nodded her head and she climbed up on one of the barstools. She leaned over the counter and watched as Mia made a second sandwich.

"Are mommy and daddy coming home?" she asked her. Mia shrugged her shoulders. She didn't have an answer for the young girl. She didn't know why her parents had left her behind or who they were. She didn't know if they had fled the city or if they had been killed. At least half of Panorama's population hadn't survived long enough to get beyond the city limits. Those who could had run away early.

"I don't know. Do you know where they went?"

"Mommy goed to auntie's," the girl said, "Daddy was at work."

"Who stayed with you?"

"My big brother."

"Where is he?"

The little girl looked heartbroken and terrified all at once, but slid off her chair and ran around the counter. She grabbed Mia's hand and walked her to the backyard. She opened the door and pointed. Mia looked around but she couldn't see anything. She asked the girl again where her brother was.

"The backyard filled with water," the little girl said, "Peter called it bad water. It did this."

The little girl pulled up her pant, exposing her left leg which appeared to be somewhat burned.

"Peter pulled me out of the water and he taked me inside. Then he goed to get Muffin."

"Who was Muffin?"

"My kitty."

"Where is Muffin?"

The little girl pointed again to the backyard and Mia's heart broke, "Pink Ranger, did Peter and Muffin come back inside?"

The little girl shook her head, "He drowneded."

Mia looked out to the backyard and could only imagine what it looked like flooded with water. If the little girl's brother had gone back into the water after rescuing her, it was unintentional suicide. The Sanzu Water would have burned his legs to the point where he could no longer stand. He would have fallen into the water and that would have been the end of that.

Mia gently took the girl into her arms and carried her back to the kitchen. She set her down on the counter and kept a close eye on her while also searching the kitchen for some water. She wasn't sure what would come out of the pipes and needed something pure. The damage the Sanzu Water had done to her leg didn't look too severe, and it seemed her brother had saved her just in time to stop a poisoning, but Mia was sure it still hurt.

She found a pack of water bottles and pulled out a couple. Slowly, she poured the water on the girl's leg. Mia could see in her eyes there was a look of relief.

"It feels better," the little girl whispered. Mia smiled.

"It's magic water."

"Can I pour some?"

Mia nodded and handed the second bottle to the little girl. She happily dumped it all over her leg and let out a sigh of content. Mia chuckled as she grabbed a dish towel and started to dry her off.

"You're going to feel better in a little bit, okay?"

"Okay," the girl said. When her leg was dry and her pants were rolled back down Mia helped her off the counter.

"Do your parents have cell phones?" Mia asked and hoped maybe she could get a call through to either of the girl's parents. The little girl shrugged her shoulders so Mia had a look around. There had to be a list of contacts or numbers lying around somewhere.

The little girl watched Mia search through drawers and cabinets and then looked down at her leg. It had been a long time since she had seen anyone. She had done what she could to stay alive, mostly feeding herself with whatever food she could reach from the fridge, pantry and cabinets. She had been certain her parents would come back for her but they hadn't. She was too young to count the days in her head, but she knew.

"Mommy and daddy are gone, aren't they?"

Mia turned around and looked at the little girl. Her face was still covered by the mask but her eyes told Mia all she needed to know. She dropped down to her knees and took the little girl's hands.

"You can stay with me," Mia promised her and the lifted her up and held her close as she pulled out a paper and a pen she had found while rummaging through the drawers. "What's your name, pink Ranger?"

"I can't tell you," the little girl said. "It's a secret."

"Like a secret identity?" Mia asked with a smile. The girl nodded her head, "You can tell me," Mia assured her, "I won't tell anyone you're the pink Ranger."

"Pinky promise?" the girl held out her pinky and Mia felt a wave of sadness wash over her. She nodded her head and tried to hold back her tears as she wrapped her pinky around the little girl's. When she made the promise the girl removed the mask. "I'm Riley."

"That's a pretty name," Mia said and quickly jotted down a note. She figured if the girl's parents were out there somewhere they would eventually come home for their children and they could see this note. Mia wasn't about to leave Riley on her own in the house, and with the lack of power and the lack of proper water, Mia didn't think it was a good idea to stay with her. She wrote a note, trying her best to reassure the parents their daughter was safe while leaving the number to the Shiba House. She would take Riley there, though she didn't want to see the others, it was what was best for the little girl.

She could drop her off at the door and leave her with the Samurai.

Then Riley wrapped her arms tightly around Mia's neck and buried her face in her shoulder. Mia's heart melted. She couldn't leave the little girl. She had spent weeks alone wondering when her parents were going to come back for her and if they were going to come back. She couldn't abandon Riley like that.

"We're going to a new home. How does that sound?"

"Mommy and daddy won't be there, right?"

"I will," Mia promised her. "I'll be right there with you."

Mia walked to the door and set the girl down. Riley raced upstairs to her bedroom. Mia assumed she was grabbing a few things to take with her. All little girls had something they couldn't leave the house without. Mia put on her jacket and waited for the girl to come back.

When Riley did she had to supress a laugh. Riley brought down a pink Samurai Ranger suitcase, she had put her pink Ranger mask back on her face, she was carrying her toy Spin Sword and had a stuffed turtle and a stuffed Pink Samurai Ranger Teddy bear under her arms.

"Is the yellow Ranger your favourite?" Mia teased and Riley laughed and shook her head.

"No! Pink!" Riley lifted the suitcase to show Mia, "She's the bestest!"

"I like the pink Ranger the best too," Mia said. She reached into the closet, hoping to find the girl's jacket. When she saw a small, but very bright pink jacket she knew she found it. She took it out and helped get the girl dressed for the cold weather.

"My bag has wheels," Riley said as Mia put her boots on her. She spun the wheels on the suitcase with a bright smile.

"That's cool," Mia answered. "I wish I had a cool bag like that."

She helped Riley back up to her feet once her boots were on and then opened the door. Riley reached for all her things but she struggled. Now that she had a big, fluffy jacket on and mittens on her hands, she couldn't carry everything.

So she handed the turtle to Mia, "Can you hold this?"

Mia nodded. She took the turtle in her hands and then she walked out of the house with Riley right behind her.

"Where are we going?" Riley asked and tried to keep up. Mia slowed down, adjusting her pace so Riley wouldn't fall behind. It seemed her leg was giving her a little bit of trouble, but Ji would certainly take a look at it once she got home.

"To my house," Mia answered. "I have a lot of friends there who will help me take care of you."

"Forever?"

"Not forever."

"Until mommy and daddy come home?" Riley's voice lowered slightly. Mia sighed.

"I'll find a new home for you. With mommy and daddy, or your auntie or…"

"Auntie is sick," Riley said. "Mommy was saying bye-bye."

"Oh… what about grandparents?"

"What?"

"Grandparents? Mommy's and daddy's parents."

The little girl shrugged her shoulders.

"Another aunt?" Mia asked. "Uncles? Cousins?"

Riley shook her head, "I can stay with you."

"You really have no other family?" Mia asked, saddened at the thought.

"It'll be like a sleepover," Riley smiled excitedly. "Can we have ice-cream?"

"Yeah," Mia nodded and touched the top of Riley's head, "We can have ice-cream. Once we get there. It's a long walk, though. Are you ready for it?"

Riley nodded her head, shifted her Samurai bear into her other arm and then took Mia's hand.

"You're pretty."

"Thank you, sweetie," Mia looked down the road with a sigh. This was going to be tough.


	91. Their Turn To Leave

It was well into the morning when Mia finally got to the Shiba House. Riley had fallen asleep on the way, late into the night, and Mia had carried her and all her things the rest of the way. It hadn't been easy, and though Mia dreaded the lectures and the fights from the others and especially from Kevin, it would be worth it to put Riley in a safe, warm home. The little girl had told Mia all about her time alone in the house. How she had foraged for food (mostly candy), made a fort in her room out of blankets, how she used them to keep warm (fortunately the temperature hadn't been too bad), and how she kept strong, just like the pink Samurai would. It touched Mia's heart and all she wanted for the little girl was some peace of mind. She couldn't promise her parents would come home. The fact that they hadn't yet was a strong indication they never would, but Mia wanted the little girl to find a family again. It was something Riley couldn't do on her own.

She tried to open the door to the house but it was locked. Remembering she had left her keys behind when she walked away, she rang the doorbell and waited outside. There was no answer. Not for a long time. Mia walked over to a window and saw the common room was bare. It was unusual for this time of day.

So she would have to sneak in. She woke Riley gently and then opened the window. She helped Riley inside, then got her suitcase and toys inside, and then she climbed in. She closed the window behind her after that and had a look around. The house was completely silent.

"Guys?" she called out, knowing her voice would stir up trouble but it didn't. There was still a silence.

"No one's home," Riley pointed out the obvious but Mia needed to hear it to realize it was true. She sighed and nodded her head.

"I guess not," she took Riley's hand; "You can sleep in my bed for a little bit. When you wake up, I'll have lunch ready for you. What's your favourite food?"

"Candy!"

"I think you've had enough of that," Mia chuckled. "What about macaroni? Do you like macaroni?"

"Pizza!"

"I'm sure we've got some of that," Mia answered as she walked Riley to her bedroom and lifted her into bed. She tucked her in, "Get some sleep, okay?"

"When I wake up…"

"I'll be here," Mia promised. She placed the turtle toy and the pink Ranger teddy bear in bed next to Riley and then left her to get a little more sleep in the bed, comfortable bed. While Riley slept, Mia walked to the kitchen.

No one was home at all. Was it possible they had all gone already? Would they even all leave the house? Surely someone would stay behind.

She opened the fridge to look for a slice of pizza. If there wasn't one leftover there was surely a frozen pizza in the freezer. She found a slice, though and put it on a plate for later, then put it back in the fridge. It wouldn't take long to heat it up for Riley. Meanwhile, Mia pulled out an apple for herself and walked back to the common room. She took a seat and sighed heavily while wondering where everyone could have gone. They couldn't have possibly gone to look for her after the way she had abandoned them. Even she knew it had been cold and, if she thought about it, rather cruel. They had just come out of a war and had just come home from the hospital when she had walked out without giving them a reason or even a promise to one day return. She had cut them out of her life completely. She knew how close they were. She knew they considered each other family. It must have hurt them.

And without Nighlok or Moogers to worry about, they had no reason to come after her. Nothing out there could hurt her. She was a Samurai.

She finished the apple and got up to throw it in the garbage before picking up something else to eat. She wasn't exactly starving, not like Riley, but she had missed out on breakfast after walking such a long way. Riley's house wasn't close to the Shiba House. Mia had tried to get as far away as she could.

Suddenly, she heard the little pitter-patter of footsteps coming from her room and met Riley halfway down the hall. She picked up the little girl in her arms.

"You should be sleeping. You need to rest," she said. Riley shook her head and pointed to her leg.

"It hurts. It needs magic water."

"I've got some here," Mia carried her back to bed and put her down. Then she went to the bathroom and filled up a cup of water. She brought it back to the bed and rubbed the water on Riley's leg.

"Now how does it feel?"

"Better," Riley whispered. She hugged the pink Ranger bear and closed her eyes. The bright smile on her face told Mia she was thrilled at the idea of sleeping in a normal bed. Mia tucked her back in and left the room so she could sleep.

She didn't know where the Samurai had gone or when they would be back, so she walked to Ji's bedroom to look for a few of his medical supplies. If he wasn't back soon, Mia would have to get started on actually treating Riley's burn and to make sure nothing was spreading. A little Sanzu Water hurt, but wasn't too dangerous if treated properly. The problem was, Mia didn't know how much had touched Riley for how long, and Mia had only gotten the chance to start washing it out weeks after it had occurred.

And at such a young age, Riley was especially vulnerable. The last time someone had been infected it had been Emily. She had only been sick with a little bit. Not enough to kill her. Unfortunately, she had been pregnant at the time, and the small amount had been more than enough to kill Carrie.

Mia wiped the tears from her eyes. It really wasn't fair. All the girls she knew could get pregnant. Serena already had a son, and now that she and James were unofficially officially married, they were likely going to expand that family. No one had told Serena she couldn't.

Emily could have a child as well. As far as Mia was concerned, neither of the earth girls had to suffer like she had. Their future was wide open; completely limitless. They could have one, two, three, or as many kids as they wanted, while Mia was stuck with none.

"_I can't have kids either,_" Lauren's voice echoed in Mia's head. The red Ranger had caught up to her after she had run away from the hotel and they had talked. Mia hadn't taken the talk very well and it had ended with a punch to Lauren's face before she ran off, leaving Lauren in the city by herself, but some of Lauren's words had stuck in her head.

"_I can't have kids either. Not in the traditional way. Unless humans have evolved so two women can make each other pregnant. It sucks but that's just the way life works out."_

Lauren was right, she couldn't have kids. But that wasn't because she _couldn't_. She was a lesbian. Unless something horrible happened to her and forced a natural pregnancy, it would either be artificial insemination (which would still lead to a pregnancy), or Lauren had brought up adoption. Just like Terry. Both of them were suggesting Mia consider adoption.

She didn't want to rule that out, but it wasn't her dream. She knew about the kids waiting for homes and for loving parents and if she could she would help them all out. But there was something about having a child of her own. Growing a little baby from nothing inside of her, feeling it kick, feeling it move, and knowing it was her baby and it was made from love. Love between her and the man of her dreams.

That had been ripped away from her. It had been a big part of her dream and now it was all gone. She couldn't cope with it, and she didn't want Kevin to be stuck with her and stuck with a make-do dream. He too wanted kids. The idea scared him still, but she could see some excitement on his face when the topic came up. She knew how much he wanted it and it killed her that she couldn't give it to him.

She had been so consumed by her thoughts, she hadn't heard the door open and the Samurai coming home. As she gathered a few medical supplies for when Riley woke up, she heard someone coughing at the door. She turned around and saw Ji and Kate.

"Where have you been?" they asked her. Mia shrugged her shoulders.

"Around," she had never felt so cornered in her life, nor had she ever felt so unwelcomed. Ji and Kate were both glaring at her with nothing but hate in their eyes. She knew why… or maybe she didn't. They seemed so much more upset than she had imagined.

"I'm sorry…"

"Common room. Now!"

Technically, her time as a Samurai was done. Technically he was no longer her mentor, but Ji still had a way of making Mia shake in her boots and every word from his mouth sounded like a command that couldn't be ignored. She looked to the floor as she rushed out. She got to the common room and froze in the doorway. The Samurai were home: Jayden, Antonio, Serena, James, Terran, Lauren, and Kevin.

Kevin was home. He was staring right at her. There was a mixture of relief, anger, and hate on his face as he glared at her. He had been packing a bag, but once he saw her he picked it up and launched it across the room.

"What the hell?" he shouted, clearly angry with her. Mia shrank away a little bit, somewhat regretting her decision to come to the Shiba House. Maybe her grandmother's place would have been better.

"I… I…"

Kevin shook his head and stormed out of the room. Mia went after him only because she knew where he was going and she knew the chaos that would cause. She was hoping she could cut him off in the hallway before he got to their bedroom and woke up Riley.

"Kevin, please," she caught his arm and spun him around. She didn't know what to say to him, but at the very least she could try to calm him down. "I know what I did was bad…"

"Terry told me…"

"I know…" Mia looked down at the floor. Kevin growled loudly.

"Why did I have to hear it from Terry?"

Mia shrugged her shoulders. She had no real answer for him. She hadn't told him. Terry had. That was why.

But that wasn't an answer. That wouldn't calm him down. That would reassure him that she did love him and she did care for him. But she couldn't go through with what they had. She couldn't let him lose everything as well. He didn't deserve that.

"I would have stuck by you," Kevin growled. He ripped his arm from her hand, "I would have done anything to make you feel better."

"You can't," she heard footsteps and a small whine from Storm. The others were spying on her and Kevin. As usual, there was no privacy in the Shiba House.

They weren't spying for long. Kevin pointed at the others and gestured for Mia to turn around and face them.

"Tell them. Tell them why you abandoned them too. It's only fair they know."

"Kevin…"

"They're family. We're all a family. This isn't your problem, it's ours. If you don't tell them, I will."

"I'm so sorry, guys…"

Kevin shook his head and stormed off to the common room. He picked up his bag and repacked everything inside. Then he threw it over his shoulder and walked back into the hall. He made his way to the front door.

"By the way, you missed the first day of the rest of our lives," he told her. "We just came home from the airport. Mike and Emily's parents put some money together and booked an amazing honeymoon for them. They're going to have a blast, in spite of everything you've put them through, and they'll be home in time for Christmas, not that you'll be around."

"I know I hurt you, Kevin, I just…"

"Kate and Serena's parents also bought a house for Serena, James and Terran."

Mia looked over her shoulder at the little family and it felt like she had gotten punched in the stomach. She was happy for them, but they were living the life she wanted. The life she couldn't have.

"Congrats."

"Kate's moving into the Shiba House. Antonio and Jayden are going to live together in her old house."

"That's…"

"And our parents bought us a house too. Our dream house," Kevin said. He picked up his keys from the table. "It's perfect. And after explaining to your mother and grandmother why you didn't show up, they're still letting me stay there. Find your own place or go home with your brother. I don't give a damn. I'm going home."

With that, he left the house, slamming the door behind him as he walked off. Mia would have broken down into tears but she knew she deserved it. With a sigh she turned around to the others.

"What's so bad you had to run away?" Serena asked. "You left without a word. You just… disappeared. Like… like what my mom did."

Mia nodded her head slowly, "I'm so sorry guys."

"For what?" Antonio asked her. Mia took a deep breath.

"I can't have kids."

A silence fell over the room. They all knew how important getting married and starting a family was to Mia, and how it must have been heartbreaking and utterly tragic to hear that was now the one thing she could never do for herself. Right off the top of their heads they could already think of a solution to that, and they were sure had thought of it as well. Serena looked down at Terran. While she loved him dearly and would never give him up for anything, she hated who his birth father was, and sometimes she had wished she had been cursed with infertility, just to avoid the mess with Dekker and Dayu trying to take Terran away from her.

But there was a huge difference between wishing for something for just a moment and having it happen.

She also thought of adoption. It had come to mind the moment Mia announced she couldn't have kids. It seemed so simple and yet, after Serena put a little bit of thought into it, she realized it wasn't. Adoption was a great option for everyone, but that was really it. It was great to have as an option. Choosing to take in a child and raise it as your own felt so much more rewarding when it actually was a choice. Mia couldn't have kids. If she wanted to start a family, adoption was really the only way to go. It was still an amazing gesture but it wasn't the same.

Nothing would ever be the same.

Serena put Terran in James' arms, and though her little boy started to cry in protest at his mother leaving, Mia needed someone a lot more. She pulled the pink Samurai in her arms.

"I'm sorry, Mia. I'm really sorry."

"Mia…" a little voice called and Mia immediately pulled away from Serena and looked beyond her friends. Riley was standing at the end of the hall looking somewhat nervous. The empty house was now full of people she didn't know and she couldn't see Mia though the crowd. Mia rushed over to the little girl and took her hand.

"How about some pizza?" she offered and walked her to the kitchen. Obviously the other followed her in. They had just been told Mia couldn't have kids and yet there she was with one.

Mia helped Riley sit at the table and put the pizza in the microwave to heat it up just a little bit before serving it to the girl with a side of vegetables. With nothing but candy in her system for weeks, Mia could only assume Riley was severly malnourished. It was something else that worried her about the little girl.

"Mentor, she was burned with Sanzu Water a while back," Mia said and pulled Riley's pants, exposing the burn. Ji picked up the first aid kit and immediately started to get to work. Riley was a little hesitant around him, but Mia assured her he could be trusted. She also quickly explained to Ji where she had found Riley and how she had survived on her own since the final battle so Ji could make sure she would be fine. Mia then looked over to the others.

"So, you can't have kids so you take one?" Jayden asked. Mia shook her head.

"It's not like that. I… I broke into her house and she was all alone."

"You broke into her house?" Antonio gave her a judgemental look. Mia knew she deserved it so she ignored it.

"Her brother's dead. Her cat's dead. Her parents haven't come back for her and they might never. They may have been killed too. Why else would they leave their kid alone for weeks?"

"They must be going out of their minds looking for her."

"So I was just supposed to leave her?"

Antonio shook his head and touched Jayden's arm. They walked to the common room and grabbed their bags.

"We're going to go get settled in our new place," Jayden announced to the others. "We'll see you guys in a couple of days."

"Guys…"

"Mia, you're not going to be forgiven. Not right away. Not until Kevin forgives you first," Antonio shook his head. "You made your choice and now you have to live with it."

"Antonio, Jayden…"

"You walked away, remember? Good luck with… whatever you want to do now."

With that, Jayden and Antonio also walked out of the house. Mia sighed and turned to Serena, James, Kate, and Lauren.

"I guess I'll just…"

"You can stay with us," Serena interrupted. James rolled his eyes but she nudged him, "At least until Mike and Emily come home. We've got a spare room for them until they can find a place of their own, but it won't be used until they get back."

James pulled Serena aside, "Okay, I get the holidays are coming up and this act of kindness is what Christmas is all about, but Mia's the one who silenced Emily."

"Mom did," Serena shook her head. "Mia just… brought that back up."

"I silenced Emily?" Mia asked with an obvious look of concern on her face. Serena nodded to Mia and then turned back to James.

"She can't have kids, James. It's not something she would have just shrugged off."

"It's no reason to leave her fiancé either. Kevin's heartbroken and I don't blame him. If you had done that to me I'd divorce your ass."

"She's breaking into houses. She needs a place to stay. At least until Mike and Emily come home."

James sighed as he thought about it. Mike and Emily wouldn't be gone for too long, and Mia would have to leave by then so the two had a home to come home to. On top of that, Mike and Emily would be home for the holidays which would force Mia to leave before Christmas. After what she had done to Kevin and the rest of her family, he didn't care where she went for the holidays as long as she didn't ruin his.

"Fine. But only until Mike and Emily come home," James picked up the bags he had been packing for himself, Mike, Emily, and Terran and started to head out.

Serena looked to Mia and waved for her to follow, "C'mon. We should go before James leaves us both behind. Lauren, you still coming over later?"

"Wouldn't miss it," Lauren nodded with a big smile. Mia looked curious.

"For what?"

"Ji and Kate are living together," Serena said. "As far as I'm concerned, that makes this family legit. I was going to take my cousin out shopping while she figured out if she wanted to stay with Ji and Kate or Antonio and Jayden."

"Oh."

"And if you hadn't of punched her in the face when she tried to help you, I would have invited you along. Instead, you can babysit my son."

Mia nodded her head and then remembered something important. Before she could leave she walked to the kitchen where Ji had just finished looking over Riley.

"Keep a close eye on her and on the news," Ji warned Mia as the pink Ranger lifted the little girl in her arms. "If her parents are looking for her, they're going to try to make her search as public as possible."

"Now where are we going?" Riley asked.

Mia walked her to the bedroom to collect her things, "We're going to another house."

"Another one?"

"Yeah. But we'll be staying there for a little bit. I promise."

Mia helped the little girl get ready to leave while the others watched over her shoulder. When Riley was ready to go Mia told her to get into James car and she would bring the rest of her stuff out for her. Riley raced off and happily went to introduce herself when she saw the man by the car was taking care of a baby.

Serena sighed and shook her head, "Well, at least something good came out of this for someone. You're doing a good thing for that kid. But that doesn't make up for what you did to us. To Kevin."

"I know," Mia nodded her head and headed out the door with Serena following. Lauren closed the door behind them both and turned around to look at Kate.

"Family's really complicated."

Kate chuckled, nodded her head and waved her over. As Lauren walked by she wrapped her arm around her and walked with her to the kitchen.

"I want to convince you staying here's the better option," Kate said. "Trust me, I had a brother growing up, and living with him was… unsanitary."

"You have a brother?"

"I love him to death," Kate nodded, "but seriously, he drove me crazy."

"It can't possibly be crazier than what's going on now… can it?"

"Small doses, young Samurai," Kate smirked. "Small doses."


	92. New Homes

As the plane started to move towards the runway and prepare itself for takeoff, Mike could see Emily was nervous. She hated flying, but there was only one way to get to Hawaii (unless they planned on taking a boat but then they would never get to enjoy their honeymoon and Christmas). He reached out and took her hand, holding it gently.

"Everything's going to be fine."

Emily nodded her head nervously and looked out the window. She could see the plane was moving and turning to the runway. She watched as they started to pick up speed, heading faster and faster down a road that would soon end.

She had flown a few times before, and each time she had been terrified. It wasn't the best feeling being in the air, knowing there was nothing to catch her if the plane suddenly decided to crash. The fact they were flying over nothing but water for nearly entire trip did nothing to ease her stress. Mike closed the window and turned her head back to focus on him.

"Before long, we'll be in beautiful Hawaii. Sunbathing on white sand, bathing in blue waters and…"

He noticed Emily looking down nervously and sighed.

"Your scars are barely noticeable anymore. If anyone can see them, they're staring and I'll beat them up. C'mon, Emily, let's forget about back home for a bit and just relax. It's just us now. Us on our amazing honeymoon."

"It… it was really nice of our parents to do this," Emily said and Mike smiled brightly. He leaned in and kissed her.

"Thank you."

"A week in Hawaii should be amazing," Emily said and leaned into Mike both because she was happy to be with him and for comfort. He had closed the window, but the plane was tilted up and she knew they were getting higher into the air and farther from the ground.

"A week with you is amazing," Mike kissed the side of her head and wrapped his arms around her. "If we make it."

"Mike!"

"Anything can happen. I mean, the engine might stop working…"

"You're horrible," Emily buried her face in his chest as Mike continued to tease her.

"Or we could nose dive in the middle of the ocean…"

"On my next honeymoon, we're road-tripping," Emily grumbled and that immediately got Mike's attention. He hugged her close.

"Or everything can go fine and we'll get to Hawaii without hitch."

-Samurai-

Terran was in toddler heaven. He had no idea where he was exactly, but this room was filled with everything a boy his age loved: toys. He let out a cry of excitement, and for the first time since he had been reunited with his mother he let go of her willingly and rushed into the room to try and play with everything at once.

"I hope you don't mind," Ellie said to Serena as they watched the little boy roll around a bus and play with the balls and towers all at once. "Santa came a little early this year."

"This room is amazing," Serena smiled and looked around. It was the perfect bedroom and playroom for Terran and would easily allow him to grow into it which was great, because Serena and James didn't have the money to buy their own place. Now, they didn't even want to. They had a home and a place to raise their family. Serena couldn't imagine ever leaving.

"And we figured you wouldn't be living with Mike and Emily forever. Once they leave, you have another bedroom for another little one," Ellie said with a playful grin. "Now that you're properly married and with a man you can trust…"

"Maybe you'll stick around for this pregnancy?"

"I'll be there," Ellie promised and pulled her daughter in for a hug. "I'm so proud of you, Serena. No mother could ever ask for a better daughter."

Serena chuckled, "Really?"

"Two better daughters, but Emily's not here. Now come, I need to show you the kitchen. You'll find yourself spending a lot of time in there."

"Terran," Serena called, not wanting to leave her son unsupervised even in his own bedroom. Terran looked up when he heard his name and lifted the toy bus to show her.

"Mama!"

"You can bring it with you. C'mon, little monkey, vroom, vroom!" Serena picked him up and walked with him down the stairs to the kitchen. On her way there she smiled to herself when she saw her father and husband were already playing around with the TV, trying to get it to work.

"For Terran's cartoons," James said innocently and Serena rolled her eyes.

-Samurai-

Now that the house was officially there, Antonio and Jayden could do what they wanted with it. They packed up Kate's things for her to pick up later and rearranged the furniture so it felt more like their home and less like James', then Kate's, and then theirs.

"But I like the couch here," Antonio said and shifted the couch back over against the wall. "This way no one's going to sneak up behind me when I nap."

"I'm not going to sneak up behind you when you're napping."

"Someone might."

"No one else lives here, Antonio," Jayden said but he had a hard time believing it himself. Two years ago it had been normal for him to live with only one other person. Now, after spending two years sharing a house with so many different people, it was odd having a place to himself, as well as privacy.

The privacy was very weird.

"I still like the couch here."

"Fine, but then we put the bed where I want."

"Fine, but we're buying a new bed."

"Why?"

Antonio raised an eyebrow, "Seriously? This was Kate's house. Before that, it was James'. Serena and Ji did spend some time here…"

"Ew."

"Yep."

"So we need a new bed. Anything else?"

Antonio looked around the house, "It needs to be baptised."

"What?"

Antonio moved over on the couch and invited Jayden to sit beside him, "This is our first house. Don't you think it needs a little… welcome home celebration?"

Jayden smirked and sat down on the couch beside Antonio. He pulled his fiancé into his arms.

"After this we should maybe talk about the wedding. Where we want to go should be a good place to start."

"Yeah," Antonio pulled Jayden in for a kiss.

-Samurai-

James was downstairs keeping Serena's parents entertained and they were also helping him get settled in the new house. Mia, meanwhile, was trapped in what would be Mike and Emily's room once they came home and she was babysitting Terran and keeping a close eye on Riley. Ji had given her the okay, but had warned Mia to watch out for her. Riley, unfortunately, wasn't the healthiest of children due to her situation after the war. She seemed to be doing well, but appearances could always be deceiving.

For now, though, Riley was having the time of her life. She had a little playmate in Terran and it seemed she had the same mothering instinct Mia had as she took care of the young boy like he was one of her precious dollies. She was also over the moon over the fact that this house had a dog. While Mike and Emily were on their honeymoon, Serena and James were stuck babysitting Storm.

And while James did like Storm, he was terrified of dogs and so Mia was stuck watching her while Serena was out shopping with Lauren.

As Mia watched the kids and the dog play, she couldn't take her mind off Kevin. She knew what she had done and she did regret it. There had been a better way to handle… what had happened, but she still couldn't find a way to get over this. She couldn't see anything good coming out of her future if she couldn't have kids of her own. It was such a petty thing to worry about, knowing there were alternatives, but it had been her dream.

There were no words to describe how much the doctor's words had hurt her. The Nighlok, Xandred especially, had ruined everything for her. Because her mother had to leave for the war and her father had been scared of losing her, they had left her behind and it had traumatized her deeply. Originally, they had left her with her grandparents, but in the year during the war her grandfather, her beloved Sofu had passed away in front of her and her parents hadn't come home to comfort her. By the time they did return for her, it was too late. Mia had settled in with her grandmother and had chosen to live with her. One thing led to another, and not long after that decision had been set in stone did her parents' divorce.

Then her own war had brought her too many oddities. Though she loved her Samurai family and she did regret giving them up with all her heart, they weren't normal. They weren't the family they had pictured in her head. She had longed for the day where she could settle down, be a normal human being for once. She didn't want the weight of the world on her shoulders. She wanted to be a mother. She wanted to be just a regular woman. She wanted to experience all the joys of being a wife and mother.

And a pregnancy was a huge part of that. Adoption would give her a child, but it wouldn't allow her to experience pregnancy. It was such a small detail, but it meant so much to her.

To Kevin. Not only had the war taken away her ability to have children, but if Kevin stayed with her it would rob him of a normal family as well. She hadn't been thinking straight back at the Shiba House and she had made a decision for him without consulting him once. She had run away from him. It wasn't what people who were engaged to be married did and she understood why he was mad. She understood if he did exactly what she had pushed him to do and moved on with someone else.

"Mia?" a little hand wiped away a tear from her cheek, "Why are you crying? Are you sad?"

Mia shook her head, "No, sweetheart. Go play. You looked like you were having fun."

Riley grabbed her pink Ranger teddy and placed it in Mia's arms, "Pink Ranger makes people feel better. Just give her a hug."

Mia hugged the bear and smiled for Riley. The little girl, thinking she had cheer Mia up, skipped back over to Terran and continued to play her game with it. Mia couldn't understand what they were doing together, but it did look like a lot of fun.

"Can I play?" she slid off the bed and sat on the floor by the kids. Riley nodded her head.

"You can wear the hat."

"What does the hat mean?"

"You're the fairy godmother. You grant wishes."

"I wish dreams did come true," Mia sighed and then forced a smile when Riley was looking, "What do you wish for, little princess? Anything you want."

"Ice-cream!"

Mia groaned and got up, "Yeah, I walked into that one, didn't I Terran?"

Terran buried his face in a giant teddy bear his grandparents had bought him. Mia sighed and lifted him up.

"Let's go get a snack. Something healthy. You'll have ice-cream later, Riley."

"Healthy food is stupid."

"Excuse me?"

Riley looked up and quickly tried to find something to say to avoid trouble, "Yummy?"

"That's that I thought you said."

-Samurai-

His parents had offered to help him get set up in his new house but Kevin had turned him down. He didn't feel like talking to anyone. He just wanted to be alone and stew.

He had every right to stew.

He walked into his house and looked around. It was so perfect for him and Mia he wanted to vomit. He dumped his bag by the front door and walked into what would have been their living room. He fell forward on the couch and let out a deep sigh.

She had wronged him and he hated her but what really hurt was how much it hurt him. He loved her so deeply still and it killed him. He knew what she had tried to do, and he understood how the news would mess her up. It would have mess him up too, but together they would have gotten through it. They would have figured something out to make it a little easier to bear. And he would have found a way for her to still achieve her dream.

Instead, she had run away, and now Kevin felt like he had failed her. It was so stupid to think this was his fault, but it was how he felt. If he had protected her a little more, if he had defeated Xandred faster, if he had been stronger or smarter… he could have done something. He felt like he could have done something.

Before he knew what was happening he sobbed. Tears escaped his eyes, a cry of pain came from the back of his throat and he buried himself into the couch cushion to cry. That was when he felt a hand on his back.

"I'm so sorry, son," his father whispered. It seemed his parents had ignored his request and right now he was happy they had. As it turned out, he didn't want to be alone.

His father sat on the floor beside the couch, not moving a single inch while Kevin cried. Meanwhile his mother was in the kitchen getting started on an early dinner. Kevin could already smell she was making his favourite, likely in hopes it would cheer him up a bit.

But it wouldn't. Nothing would cheer him up. Not unless either of them knew how to turn the clock back and prevent everything from happening.

But he wasn't sure how far back he wanted to go? The moment before Mia had left him, or the moment before he had met her and fallen in love with her. He was so torn up and he hated it.


	93. Stomping On Dreams

The following morning, Kevin woke up with a sick feeling in his stomach. He wasn't actually sick. He knew that right off the bat. He woke up in his and Mia's dream home, in an empty bed. She wasn't sleeping next to him. She wasn't anywhere in the house. The only other occupants were his parents. With a groan, he pulled himself out of bed and walked downstairs. His parents knew him well, and when they bought the house for him and Mia they had made sure the house included an extra room, which had been converted into a gym. Though Kevin was done with his Samurai duties and technically he no longer needed to train, it had always been his routine and something he had grown to love.

He started what would become his workout for the foreseeable future and hoped a little exercise would help him clear his mind and figure out what he wanted to do from here on out.

But he couldn't get his mind off Mia. She had hurt him terribly, but he still loved her. He still wanted to be with her. His head screamed no, warning him she would break his heart again, but his heart wanted to give her another chance. She meant everything to him and she was going through a tough time. Kevin knew how important starting her own family was to her and he could understand how hearing she couldn't get pregnant would mess her up.

Still, it didn't make up for the way she had treated him, his head would remind him. She left him, without giving him an explanation for why. She broke his heart and stomped on it. She left the other Samurai as well, abandoning them when they needed to stick together the most. She didn't deserve a second chance. Not with him.

But it wasn't like her. It wasn't like her to throw everything away, his heart said. She didn't like weddings anymore. She didn't want to get married? She didn't believe in marriage? It was a cry for help. She needed help. She needed someone to stand by her. If she could turn around and ignore everything about the last two years, treating it like it meant nothing, then she was suffering worse than he thought. Worse than he could imagine, and him abandoning her would only make things worse for her. She was going to suffer more than she needed to, and he loved her too much to see her suffer.

He dropped the weights and put his head in his hands. He had to figure this out. He needed to find some way to sort this mess out. Did he want Mia back? Did he want to move on? What was best for him?

-Samurai-

Mia was pulled from the worst sleep of her life by a loud, piercing scream coming from right beside her in the bed. She shot straight up and looked around, first worried it was Kevin and then she remembered everything. She wasn't sleeping next to her fiancé. She was taking care of a little girl. A terrified little girl.

"Riley?"

"M…Mia?" Riley pulled down the blankets and looked up at the face of the stranger who had been so nice to her. She threw herself into Mia's arms and hugged her tight. "I had another nightmare."

"Another one? About what? What have you been having nightmares about?"

"M… monsters," Riley whispered and she didn't want to say anything more. She hugged Mia tightly. Mia held her in her arms as she got out of bed and started rummaging through her bags. She pulled out the little girl's pink Ranger mask and put it on her face.

"Pink Ranger always beats up the monsters," she told her. Riley nodded her head, adjusted the mask, and continued to hold Mia.

Mia walked down the stairs and into the kitchen to get started on breakfast for the little girl. She set Riley down on a barstool and began pulling out fruits from the fridge.

"Are you allergic to anything?"

Riley shook her head but Mia was still going to keep a close eye on her. Four year olds couldn't be trusted with something as important as that. As she washed the fruits and started to cut them up she heard someone coming into the kitchen. Riley slipped off the barstool and ran over to Mia, hugging her legs tightly and hiding behind her.

Serena walked in carrying Terran. She set the little boy down on the floor with a few of his toys and looked over to Mia.

"I heard a scream."

Mia pointed to Riley so Serena knew what had happened and then shook her head.

"A scream? There was no scream, right Pink Ranger?"

Serena looked down at Riley and saw she was wearing a pink Ranger mask. She smiled and knelt down.

"Wow, the pink Ranger in my kitchen? What an honour," she held out her hand, inviting Riley to shake it, "I'm Serena, I'm a big fan!"

Riley poked her head out and gulped. She looked up at Mia and then reached out her hand to shake Serena's. "Pink is my favourite colour."

"It's a very pretty colour," Serena told her. She got back to her feet and looked to Mia, "How did you sleep?"

Mia dumped the chopped up fruits in a bowl and handed them to Riley. The little pink Ranger took her breakfast to the table to start eating while Mia and Serena talked. Mia shrugged her shoulders sadly.

"Not very well."

"Feeling blue?"

"I screwed up, haven't I?"

"You're not the first," Serena gestured over to the living room couch. Mia followed, while making sure she had a view of Riley. The fact that she had taken the girl was already a little questionable. If something happened to her under Mia's care, there would be no way to explain it if her parents ever did come back. Serena continued to talk once they were on the couch, "Have you thought about it?"

"Thought about what? I can't get pregnant. There's no chance."

"Have you thought about what you're going to do?"

Mia shook her head, "I have no idea. Starting a family, having that life, it meant everything to me."

"I get it," Serena said. "It's a good feeling. But can I be brutally honest with you?"

"Brutally?"

Serena took that as permission, "Your dream was never going to come true."

"Serena!"

"It was too perfect. Way too perfect. Prince charming? The white picket fence? The perfect family? No one, in the history of forever, has ever had the perfect family. Look at my family. We're the McScrewupsons. I was only born and my parents were only married because of a stupid night at a bar. My dad tricked my mom into sleeping with her. Both were drunk. Both forgot about protection and safe sex, and in the morning they went their separate ways. If my grandmother hadn't whipped my father's ass into shape once they found out my mom was pregnant with his kid, we wouldn't be a family. I would probably have a step-father and half-siblings. And none of them would be Emily. Speaking of which, Emily isn't exactly the product of happily-ever-after, either. Back home, there's nothing to do but work and drink."

"It worked out for you…"

"Barely," Serena said with a shake of her head, "Do you not remember how Terran came into this world? What my pregnancy with him did to my family? How I almost tore my family apart? It didn't work out. This isn't what anyone wanted. We made it work. We make it work. Your dream is amazing, Mia, and I wish I could be more like you, but there's a fine line between dreamer and delusional, and I think you've crossed it."

"Serena!"

"You're an amazing mother, Mia," Serena gestured to the kitchen table, where Riley was trying to find a way to eat with her brave pink Ranger helmet on her face. "No matter how you get a child, you're going to be one of the best mothers this world has ever seen. But Kevin was the love of your life, and you were the love of his. You messed up. You really messed up."

Serena got up and gave Mia a kiss on the forehead, "I only say this because I love you. Nothing is ever going to be perfect. You're just going to have to live with that."

"You just stomped on everything I've ever dreamed about. You know that," Mia fell back into the couch and glared at Serena.

"I'm your big sister, princess. It's my job to stomp on all your dreams."


	94. Pushed A Little Too Much

The other Samurai wanted nothing to do with Mia and would barely even give her the time of day. It had been a few days already since Mia had moved in with Serena and James, and within those few days she had seen the others a couple of times. At most they said hi. At worse, they pretended like she wasn't in the room. She couldn't get mad at them for it. She had abandoned them all. She had walked out of them.

Mike and Emily had Skyped from their honeymoon at one point to say hit to the Samurai and to tell everyone how their trip was going. From the sound of it, Mia could tell they were having a really nice time and Hawaii was better than they had imagined it could be. Mia didn't appear in the screen though, knowing she had hurt Mike and Emily almost as much as she had hurt Kevin. She didn't want to ruin their honeymoon. Unlike her life, theirs was going great and she was happy for them. She was extremely jealous, but she was happy.

"You seem sad," a little voice snapped her from her thoughts and Mia shook her head. She looked over to Riley with a smile.

"I'm fine."

Riley climbed up on Mia's lap and hugged her, "You don't look fine."

"It's a grown up problem. Don't worry about it."

"But I want you to feel better," Riley said. She forced Mia to smile with her fingers, "See, smiling is fun."

Mia chuckled. She gave the little girl a hug and then set her back on her feet, "I'll be okay."

"You _always_ say that," Riley groaned and Mia smiled and shook her head. It wasn't the first time Riley had caught her lost in thought about this situation with Kevin and her infertility, but Mia never wanted to worry the young girl, who already had so much going against her. A few people were starting to come back to Panorama City. Some were coming back to their homes, and others were coming back to collect their things so they could move out and start life somewhere else. Somewhere with less of a history of monster attacks. Of all those people, none of them were friends or family members of Riley. It seemed there was no one out there for the little girl. Mia could never imagine leaving her daughter behind, if she had one. If she had, and if she had been caught in the war, even as a civilian she never would have left the city with her children. Yet, Riley and her brother were forced to survive the near end of the world on their own and Peter hadn't managed to survive for very long.

Mia desperately wished there was a way she could find Riley's parents. She wanted to reunite the little girl with someone. She knew what it felt like to lose everything.

"I do, don't I?"

"Daddy used to tell me, if you have a problem, fix it," Riley said. "Thinking about it won't make it go away."

"I don't know how to fix it."

"What did you do?"

Mia let out a breath. How was she going to explain her problems to a four year old girl?

"Well, I was supposed to get married."

"Like a princess?"

Mia chuckled, "Yeah, like a princess. I was supposed to get married and start a family. I wanted kids."

"How many?"

"I don't know. And that's the problem."

"You don't know how many you want?"

"I can't have any."

"Why?"

"Because I can't."

"You're not allowed?"

"I am allowed."

"So why can't you have kids?"

"I just can't."

Riley huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, "I don't get it."

"It's complicated."

"You make it sound complicated," Riley nodded. "You should be allowed to have kids."

"I should?"

"You're good at it."

"I'm good at what?"

"Being a mommy. If my mommy doesn't come back, I want you to be mine. You're nice. And you're pretty."

"Thank you, Riley. You can go play, sweetheart."

Riley gave Mia a smile and a big hug before running off to the backyard. James had set up a swing set and Terran was still a little too young for it, but Riley could spend hours swinging back and forth.

"The kid's right," James said as he stood in the doorway to the living room, "You do make it sound complicated."

"It is complicated."

"It really wasn't. It was upsetting and you it worse."

"I know."

"And now you just sit here like you don't care."

"I do care."

"So why aren't you trying to fix it?"

"Kevin won't talk to me."

"You wouldn't talk to him," James shook his head. "He went to visit you at the hotel and you ran away. Then you came back to the house and we could all see it, you didn't want to talk to him or any of us."

"But I came back."

"For the kid," James pointed outside where Riley was playing on the swings. "If it weren't for the kid, you would be in Pennsylvania with your brother right now. Admit it."

"Maybe not Pennsylvania," Mia muttered, "but I wouldn't be here. You're right."

Mia dropped her head in her hands and sighed, "I don't know how to make it better, though. I just… I don't know."

"Maybe talking things out with Kevin would be a good place to start. If I were him, I would slam the door in your face, but at least he would get the satisfaction of finally having a say in what happens."

Mia nodded her head but didn't move. James scoffed and walked out of the room. Mia could hear him muttering something but she couldn't make it out. She didn't think she wanted to anyways. James really wasn't happy with her.

She decided she would get up. She pushed herself up from off the couch and walked to the backyard. Riley didn't like being left alone with strangers. She trusted Mia and only Mia.

"C'mon, pink Ranger. We're going out."

"Where?" Riley jumped off the swing and Mia had a little heart attack, worried she would break her legs, fall, or get caught in the swing. Riley's landing wasn't graceful. She stumbled slightly, but she stayed on her feet and didn't hurt herself. Mia picked her up.

"I'm going to try and make things less complicated."

"You're going to fix everything?"

"I'm going to try. I owe it to him to try."

"To who?"

"Someone I love very much."

-Samurai-

Kevin flicked through the channels on the TV. There was plenty to watch but he didn't want to watch any of it.

Most of the Samurai parents had gone home, but his had decided to stay with him while he nursed his broken heart. They didn't know much about Mia, but they knew she made their son very happy and were crushed things between them had ended so poorly.

Patrick, especially, supported his son. He let Kevin cry on his shoulder and tried to talk things out. He did everything for Kevin to feel better and everything to help him move on. But one thing he kept repeating that Kevin didn't like to hear, but that Patrick insisted he needed to hear was how Mia's behaviour was very strange for a Watanabe. He knew Mia better than his wife Christina did, and he knew Mia's mother Noa. From what he had seen, Mia and Noa were very similar, especially in the way they treated people. So, though it hurt Kevin to hear, Patrick continued to bring it up. It wasn't like Mia to behave the way she had. Something had to be seriously wrong.

While his parents talked in the kitchen, likely about what to do with him, Kevin sat on the couch. He had already done his work out and his muscles were tired. All he could do was sit on the couch and see how many channels he could flip through in a minute.

Until the doorbell rang – but he still didn't get up to answer it. It was his house but he wasn't in the mood for company.

Instead, his father went to answer the door while his mother joined him on the couch.

Patrick looked out the window first. He didn't want to open the door to a stranger. He saw it was Mia and a little girl and he opened the door and let them both in. It was snowing and it was cold out. He didn't want them to freeze.

For a moment, Mia was distracted by the house. She knew Kevin's and her parents had bought them their dream home. Kevin hadn't been lying when he said it was perfect. Maybe Serena was wrong. Maybe there were things about Mia's dream that she could have exactly how she wanted.

But a home was nothing if she didn't have someone special to share it with.

"Is Kevin here?" she asked Patrick. He pointed to the living room.

"He might not talk to you."

"That's fine. It's his choice," Mia said. She set Riley down and looked at the little girl. She couldn't possibly ask Riley to leave her side in a stranger's house. Though Mia trusted everyone inside, Riley couldn't. She didn't know them.

"I might start crying," she warned the little girl, "and there might be some yelling. But everything's going to be okay, I promise."

"Why are you going to cry?"

"Because I hurt someone and I'm really sorry."

Riley gave Mia a quick hug, "I don't want you to cry."

"Everything's going to be okay. If it gets really scary in here, I'll take you out for ice-cream after, okay?"

"Ice-cream?" Riley's eyes lit up and Mia smiled.

"I promise."

"Pinky promise?"

Mia sighed. She hated Riley's pinky promises. They only reminded her she had another issue to deal with besides her relationship with Kevin. But she made the promise and she intended on keeping it.

"Pinky promise."

"You can't break it."

"I won't," Mia said. She got back up to her feet, took Riley's hand and walked into the living room. Just for extra bravery, Riley put on her pink Ranger mask. She never went anywhere without it since her brother died and her parents disappeared. The mask kept her safe and made her strong.

"Kevin…" Mia called weakly and Kevin turned off the TV and looked at her. Then he looked down at the little girl. He had never really gotten the chance to ask about her.

But she wasn't his concern. He looked to Mia, "You have nothing to say to me."

"I'm sorry."

"That's not going to fix anything."

"Kevin…"

"You walked away from me, Mia. Instead of working through this together you took off. TWICE! You broke my heart twice!"

"Kevin, please…"

"I'm never forgiving you!"

"She said sorry!" Riley shouted. Kevin looked down at her with a glare and then looked back to Mia with a shake of his head.

"Why would you do this? We're a team."

"I can't have kids, Kevin. It's not fair."

"But it's fair to leave me?"

"No."

"Then why did you do it?"

Mia shrugged her shoulders and looked down at the floor, "I don't know. You didn't deserve it. You didn't deserve any of it."

"I'm done with this," Kevin tossed the remote on the couch and started to walk off, "Now it's your turn. You don't deserve this. You don't deserve me."

Mia watched him storm out, and just like she had told Riley she started to cry. But it wasn't just any cry. She dropped to her knees and let out a wail of misery. If the Netherworld had still be a threat, she would have pushed it over the edge for sure with that one cry. She had lost everything and Kevin was right, she did deserve it.

"M…Mia?" Riley lifted her mask and looked at the broken older woman. Mia said she was going to cry, but this wasn't a cry. She wrapped her little arms around Mia, "Stop crying. Please stop crying. It's going to be okay! We're going to get ice-cream. Stop crying!"

Little Riley's eyes filled with tears. She had never seen anyone so upset before, "Mia… Mia, don't be sad. He's just a meanie! Don't listen to the meanie."

Mia could hear Riley's voice but she couldn't do anything to calm herself down for the little girl. Everything inside of her suddenly came up. She couldn't have her own kids like she had always dreamed, she had lost her prince charming, and she would never get the wedding she always wanted. Her world was falling apart and it crushed her.

"Mia! Mia, stop crying!" Riley was panicking almost as much as Mia now. She hugged her tighter but it did nothing to sooth the older woman. She looked over to the two strangers, Kevin's parents, but they didn't seem like they were going to do anything. They looked confused.

So Riley got angry. She put her pink Ranger mask back on and raced after Kevin, who she saw as the bad guy. In her young eyes Mia had done nothing wrong and Kevin was the jerk for making her cry.

"She said sorry!" Riley shouted and followed Kevin up the stairs. She saw he was just sitting halfway up with his head in his heads. She tackled him with a head-butt to the chest, knocking him backwards. "She said sorry, you big meanie! You have to forgive her!"

Kevin groaned. He wished life was as simple as it was in a child's eyes. Sometimes apologies weren't enough.

"Get away from me, kid," he gently pushed her away, just enough to get her to back up a little bit on the stairs. He didn't want her to fall.

"You're a meanie! You're a… you're a… You're a jerk! Yeah! A big jerk!" she stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry at Kevin while also leaning into his space once more. Kevin pushed her away again, but his frustration got the better of him. He pushed a little too hard and a little too fast. Riley lost her balance and fell down the stairs. She only fell halfway down, and it didn't seem like she had hurt herself too much, but when she hit the floor she let out a piercing wail.

"MOMMY!"

Mia heard the cry and her heart stopped. She looked up, saw Riley on the floor screaming and forced herself to find her composure. She gently took Riley in her arms and started to sooth the poor girl while she looked up at Kevin. He seemed horror stricken by what he had done, unable to believe he had just pushed a child down the stairs, even if it was an accident. It shouldn't have happened.

"Maybe we are done," she told him. "I'm really sorry, Kevin."

Mia hugged Riley tightly, thanked Kevin's parents for letting her inside and walked out of the house, promising Riley the biggest bowl of ice-cream she could imagine.

Kevin rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and sighed. He looked to his parents.

"I didn't mean to push her so hard."

"But you did push her," Patrick said.

"But I didn't want to hurt her. I just… she was bothering me."

"You pushed her. Twice. On the stairs."

"Dad…" Kevin took in a deep breath, "Is it crazy that I want her back?"

"You need to make the decision that's best for you. But if you're going to take this out on innocent children, maybe Mia's right. Maybe it is over."

"She was in my face."

"She was a child," his mother chipped in and her tone didn't sound happy at all. "Believe me. Children know no bounds."

"I'm going to my room," Kevin said and walked up the stairs. He had a lot of thinking to do. He wanted Mia back but she had hurt him. Their fighting didn't seem to want to come to an end, and it had pushed him to do something he wouldn't normally do. He had wanted her, both Mia and Riley, to leave him alone, but now they were gone. Mia was gone, and there was no guarantee she would be back. They had both pushed each other so far out of their lives that maybe there was no coming back.

But that only made him want her more.

But he didn't know if that was best. How could he ever trust her again?

But he knew he could trust her. She was so much more than the person who had made the mistake of breaking his heart.

But she had done it.

He didn't know what to do anymore.


	95. After The Fall

Mia bit her lip nervously as Serena had a look at Riley's head. The fall down the stairs hadn't been too bad, but Riley had cried the whole way home and Mia was worried there was something going on. Given Riley had been alone for a few weeks, Mia wasn't sure her body was strong enough to take a tumble down the stairs. Her stomach was doing flips from the moment she heard Riley calling for her mother and it hadn't settled.

Terran had taken a few hits to the head and Serena had taken care of them and it seemed she had done a good job making sure he was okay. Terran was developing normally, and he was even starting to learn a few words. He knew Serena was mama, and he was making progressing associating James with dada. Mia would trust whatever Serena had to say because she was the one with the experience.

"You're going to be fine, sweetheart," Serena promised the little girl and offered her the bowl of ice-cream Mia had already made for her. Riley continued to sob and rub her eye, still a little shaken from what had happened. She took her bowl and climbed up on Mia's lap to eat it. Mia wrapped her arms around the little girl and looked to Serena.

"Are you sure…"

"Positive," Serena nodded. "Emily took a few spills down the stairs. At that age, kids tend to bounce more than break. She's moving around, she's crying, I don't see bleeding and I can't feel any breaks. You have nothing to worry about."

"Except for why it happened," Mia sighed and kissed the top of Riley's head, "I'm so sorry, pink Ranger."

"It's meanie's fault," Riley said and looked to Serena, "He pushed me!"

Serena looked to Mia for confirmation and she was sad to see Mia nodding her head.

"I didn't see it for myself, but Kevin looked guilty."

"He pushed me! He did! And he didn't even say sorry!"

"We believe you," Mia gave Riley a little hug and then looked to Serena, "I screwed up real bad."

"Yeah, you did. Do you want to come to dinner tonight? We're going over to the Shiba House… uh, I guess it's Ji and Kate's house."

"Am I invited? I thought everyone hated me because of what I did to Kevin."

"They're mad at you for leaving, but I think they can all understand why you left them. Just come to dinner. Show them you want to come back in their lives. You know just as well as I do that we can't stay mad at each other for too long once the truth comes out."

"I think I should skip it…"

"You need a family, Mia."

"I can go visit my mom and Sobo," Mia shrugged. "Introduce them to Riley. See if they have any idea how to find out where her parents are."

"Mommy and daddy are dead," Riley looked up from her ice-cream. She had accepted that possibility as truth almost as soon as she had met Mia. It was close enough to it. Her parents had been gone for a long time, and Mia couldn't imagine they would stay away for much longer. Xandred, the Nighlok, and the Netherworld hadn't made an appearance in weeks, and people were already starting to come back to the city. Knowing they had left two children to fend for themselves, Mia was certain that if Riley's parents were still alive, they would be home in a matter of days.

Riley was convinced they were never coming home.

"Do you want more chocolate sauce?" Mia grabbed the bottle of chocolate sauce and handed it to the four-year old, allowing her to dump as much on as she wanted to distract her from the conversation. Mia looked back at Serena, "Have fun at dinner. You guys deserve it…"

"I'm serious, Mia, the best thing you can do right now is show the others you're back. You made a mistake and you're trying to fix it. If they don't forgive you, that's their problem."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I know you're sincere," Serena looked Mia in the eyes, "I couldn't imagine going through what you're going through, and I already have a child of my own. It's a horrible feeling to know that's not even an option for you anymore, and it's been such a big dream of yours…"

"I am," Serena nodded, "I believe we're all having a happy Christmas. You're coming with us to dinner. You're going to apologize, and anyone who won't accept it will deal with me."

"Won't Kevin be at dinner? Isn't he invited?"

Serena shrugged her shoulders, got up and walked out of the room without another word. Mia sighed and dropped her head back. Riley looked up.

"Are we going to see the meanie again?"

"He's not a meanie."

"Yes he is," Riley nodded. She scooped some more ice-cream into her mouth. "I don't want to see him again."

"He's not going to hurt you. I promise."

"Will he hurt you?"

"I hurt him first."

"A stupid dream," Mia rolled her eyes. "I was stupid for thinking I could have a happily ever after…"

"That's not what I meant," Serena shook her head. She reached across the table and touched Mia's hand, "I promise, you're getting a happily ever after. It's just not going to be exactly how you pictured it. You need to be flexible, otherwise you'll break."

"Like what happened with Kevin?"

"Things will work out. You two were made for each other. Just don't give up on him. He's going to come back."

"I don't believe it."

"I'll believe for you. Give it time. It's Christmas, after all."

"I'm not Christian."

"But you said sorry!"Riley chirped in tired of the grown ups fighting when apologies had been made, at least on Mia's side. "Did you mean it?"

"I meant every word."

"Then he is a meanie."

"It's complicated."

"Grown ups always make everything complicated," Riley finished her ice-cream and wrapped her arms around Mia in a hug, "You're nice. I like you."

"I like you too, sweetheart."

"And don't listen to the big meanie. He's just a doodie-head."

Mia chuckled and nodded, "Go play, pink Ranger."


	96. The Stranger

Though Mia wasn't sure about the dinner, Serena had convinced her to go. All the Samurai, minus Mike and Emily who were still on their honeymoon, were getting together for an evening. It hadn't been too long since they had all seen each other, but they were all so used to living together that even a couple of days apart felt like an eternity. Ji and Kate were hosting the dinner and had opened the invitation to everyone. Mia was sure it didn't include her, Serena insisted she could come.

Mia figured if she was going to go to the dinner and face everyone again, especially Kevin, she should have the decency to look nice and got ready in the bathroom. Riley had already had the evening explained to her. She was being brought along because she was too scared to leave Mia's side for any reason. She also knew Kevin would be at the dinner and she didn't like him. Not since he had made Mia cry and not since he had pushed her down the stairs. For that reason, she was going to bring her pink Ranger mask and her toy Spin Sword. She could protect herself and protect Mia.

Serena and James were by the door getting ready to head out. It was only a couple of minutes until they all got in James' car but Terran needed to be dressed properly for the ride and the dinner and a bag needed to be packed for him. Serena and James were running around the house getting everything ready while Riley practiced her Samurai tricks in the hall.

"Riles, not in the house," Serena scolded the little girl when Riley almost scuffed the walls. She opened the door and gestured for the girl to take her swordplay to the front lawn, "We'll be out in two minutes. Stay in the yard."

"I know, I know," Riley grumbled as she walked out of the house. She jumped down the steps leading to the driveway and then continued her Samurai training outside. She swung at invisible monsters and an imaginary meanie Kevin.

"Kid!" she heard someone call and she lowered her sword and looked back at the house, thinking it was Mia or Serena or James calling for her. When she saw they were all still busy she continued to look around the yard.

"Kid, over here," the voice called again and this time she saw a man standing by the side of the yard. He looked over his shoulder and waved for Riley to approach him. She did so hesitantly, but kept her feet on the grass and away from the sidewalk. The stranger knelt down so he was at eye level with her, "Are you missing someone?"

Riley nodded her head. The stranger gave her a warm smile, like the one Mia had given her when they first met.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm Josh. What's your name?"

"Pink Ranger."

The stranger, Josh, looked frustrated for a minute and then looked back at Riley with another smile.

"I know someone who is looking for a pink Ranger."

"My mommy?"

"Yeah," Josh nodded, "I know your mommy. She's looking for you."

"She is? I thought she was dead."

"No, she's alive. She's back at my house waiting for you. She sent me here to pick you up."

"She did? Is daddy there?"

"Yeah. Both of them. They're so worried about you. Come with me, I'll take you to them. Hurry, they miss you."

"I need to tell Mia first…"

"No," the stranger grabbed Riley by the arm and pulled her back, "Your parents want you home now."

"But I have to tell Mia," Riley tried to fight off the man but she was so much smaller and he was so much stronger. With one arm he grabbed her around the waist and lifted her off the ground. Riley started to shout for him to let her go but the man covered her mouth.

Or, rather, he tried to. Her Samurai mask blocked his hand from covering her mouth completely so he pulled it off. He finally silenced her, but not before Riley let out a scream. He ran around to the side of the house and with Riley in his arms he jumped the fence into the backyard and from there he was free to run. He knew whoever was inside the house would check the front yard first.

And that was exactly what Serena, James, and Mia did. They had all heard Riley scream and dropped what they were doing to check up on her.

Only she was gone.

Serena and James were petrified as they scanned the yard, unable to believe a four year old would just disappear and terrified they had let something happen to her. Mia raced out of the house to look around, scared Riley had hurt herself.

Storm immediately bolted from the house and barked as she ran off and raced around the side of the house.

"Dammit," Serena shoved Terran into James' arms and raced after Storm. No matter what happened, she wouldn't be the reason Emily lost another dog, especially so young. She went after Storm, hunting the dog down.

Mia followed Serena and Storm. The dog's senses were a lot sharper than hers, and Storm was quite a smart dog. She knew when there was trouble and like her mistress she knew how to find trouble. If Riley had gotten hurt or was in any danger, Mia was confident Storm would find out about it.

But she didn't get far. While Serena continued to chase after the dog, Mia stopped by the side of the house when something pink caught her eye. She picked it up, feeling a tear running down her cheek.

"What's going on?" James asked as he came to her side. Mia showed his Riley's mask.

"She doesn't go anywhere without this."

James looked worried as well. Neither he nor Mia really knew Riley, but one thing was sure: she had a huge love for the pink Ranger. She took the mask everywhere with her, even around the house. Even when she went to bed, the mask was always next to her. Sometimes, Mia would have to sneak up in the middle of the night and remove the mask from her face so it wouldn't break.

Mia was furious. The scream, the mask, Riley suddenly disappearing, none of it looked good. Anyone who thought they could put their hands on Mia's little girl was seriously going to pay.

"Oh uh," James hugged Terran a little closer, "Mia, you've got that psychotic look in your eye. It's like… that look you had when we had to break up the smack down you laid on Mike."

"This is so much worse," Mia growled. She reached into her pocket and took out her Samuraizer, fortunate enough to have taken it back when she and Riley had been to the Shiba House. Instantly, she morphed.

"Someone's getting killed," James said. Mia nodded her head and went after Storm and Serena. She had no idea how she was going to find out where Riley had taken off to, but she would.

James looked down at Terran. The poor boy was crying as he looked out to where his mother had taken off, scared he would never see her again. Having to leave her once had left him traumatized that every time she left him it would be the last time he saw her. James hugged the little boy to sooth him and walked back inside.

"I guess dinner's off."


	97. Mother's Instincts

Riley put up as much of a fight as her little body would allow. It wasn't enough to stop Josh the Stranger from taking her away, but it did slow him down. With his hands occupied with holding her still and keeping her quiet, he had little balance to work with as he raced as far away from the house as he could get.

"Shut up, brat. You'll go home eventually. Someone's got to be out there looking for you," as he turned a corner and headed down an alley he slowed down and had better control over Riley. The streets were bare, and though people were starting to come back to the city, no one would hear Riley screaming from here. He set her on the ground but held her arms firmly and pressed her into the wall of a building. "Look, twerp, there are plenty of lost kids out there, I'm just doing the world a service."

"You're a bad guy!" Riley shouted and struggled to break free but he was so much stronger than she was.

"If your parents have the money, you'll go home to them," Josh told her and grabbed her wrists. He held them in one hand and pulled out a rope from the backpack he had been wearing. He tied her wrists together as Riley started to cry.

"Shut up," he rolled his eyes and pulled out duct tape from his bag. He placed a strip over her mouth, "I'm not going to hurt you. Damaged kids aren't worth as much. Just get in the van and stay quiet. The more you work with me, the faster I'll let you go."

He grabbed her by the arm and dragged her, kicking and screaming, into the van parked at the end of the alley. He tossed her inside and then closed the door.

-Samurai-

Antonio looked down at his watch as he and the rest of the Samurai family waited in the common room for Serena and James to arrive. It wasn't like either of them to be late.

He knew he had nothing to worry about. The Nighlok were gone and of the two, James was the most vulnerable and he could still kick the ass out of almost every man in the city. But after fighting in a war it was hard for everyone to settle their nerves.

Lauren could see everyone looking a little worried and broke the tension, "I know it's a little late, but I've made my decision about where I wanted to stay."

The focused turned to her. Jayden, especially, was interested in hearing her decision. Though he loved having a place to himself with Antonio, he hadn't seen his sister for most of his life and was desperate to get to know her better. He had offered to give her their spare room so she could live with him and Antonio.

Ji and Kate had also offered a room to Lauren. She was more than welcome to stay with them at the Shiba House, as it was technically her home more than it was theirs.

Lauren looked to both Jayden and Ji. Both homes had been really appealing to her. She had nothing but fond memories of her brother from when they had been children and was really excited to start a real sibling relationship with him. She had been sheltered most of her life, but she had seen a few brothers and sisters and the way they interacted with each other. She found it completely amazing how they could argue, bicker, and drive each other up the walls almost constantly, but then at the end of the day they would still go to the ends of the earth for each other. The relationship was unlike anything else and couldn't be copied or recreated with anything but a sibling. They were blood and they were family, and it was almost everything Lauren wanted.

At the Shiba House, though, she had parents. She knew Ji and Kate weren't her mother and father, but they were close enough to it. In the time she had spent with them making the decision, they had treated her the way she knew parents would treat their child. They cared for her, they gave her helpful advice about life's challenges, and they loved her. She had already accepted Ji as a fatherly figure in his life and could remember believing he was her uncle when she was a little girl, but Kate had that maternal quality about her that made Lauren feel safe, warm, and loved. Kate was a natural mother to Lauren without trying to be, and without pushing the boundaries. She never tried to take the place of Lauren's real mother, but she had given Lauren a taste of what it would have been like to have a real mother.

Real parents. Lauren loved her brother, but she would always have him. They would always be brother and sister no matter where she lived. Nothing would keep them apart. She needed the home. She needed the family. For once, she needed people to take care of her not because she possessed the Sealing Symbol power, but because she was just a little girl trying to find her place in the world.

"I want to stay here," she announced. Kate looked happy as could be and threw her arms around the red Samurai. Jayden looked a little disappointed but he smiled to his sister. He could tell she had put a lot of thought into her decision by the way she glanced at him. It was somewhat apologetic, but her face also read _"I have to do this"_. He nodded his head and wrapped his arm around her once Kate let go.

"All the more reason to visit often."

"After our little vacation, though, right?" Antonio asked and nudged Jayden playfully while he looked to the others.

"Vacation?" Kevin asked him.

"What? The gold Samurai doesn't get to finally see his family again?" Antonio had a bright smile on his face, "I'm finally healed enough so dad doesn't have to ask too many questions, and it's about time he got caught up on everything non-Samurai related. I'm going to get married. I can't keep it from dad much longer."

He put his hand in Jayden's and smiled, "Nervous about meeting the future father in-law?"

"I've met him before," Jayden shrugged.

Antonio nodded his head, "Yeah, but back then you met him as Jayden, my childhood friend. My straight, childhood friend. Back then, I thought I was straight. Now, you're going to be marrying his one and only son."

Jayden's face started to turn a little red. He let go of Antonio's hand and tugged on his collar.

"Someone want to turn down the furnace? It's getting a little hot in here."

As the others continued to tease Jayden about finally having to meet his father in-law, Ji heard the phone ringing. Assuming it was just James and Serena calling to explain why they were late to dinner, he didn't make much of a fuss about it and got up silently. He took the call in the kitchen.

"Flat tire?"

"It's a long story, Ji," James said on the other end, "All you need to know is Mia needs help. Tell the others Mia needs help."

Ji furrowed his brow. He wasn't pleased with Mia at the moment, but he never wished anything bad to happen to her. He still considered her one of his own.

"Is she okay?"

"Just send the others and tell them…"

"Mia needs help, I got it. We're all on our way."

"All?"

"Of course all, she's family," Ji said, "Where we going?"

"Stop by the house. I'll explain everything once you guys get here."

Ji nodded his head and hung up the phone. He walked back to the common room. His arrival drew the attention from the others.

"Is everything okay?" Kate asked, seeing a look of worry on Ji's face made her a little worried as well. "Who was that?"

"Mia's in trouble," Ji said, "And we're going to James' house to…"

He didn't need to finish his thought. Like a rocket, Kevin was off and the others weren't far behind him. Ji was glad to see the Rangers had the same mentality he did. They were all still a little angry with Mia, but at the end of the day she was still Mia.

She was still their Momma Pink.

She was still the love of Kevin's life.

-Samurai-

Rage powered Mia up a lot more than the Black Box ever had. In no time she caught up to Serena and Storm and her senses were on high as she looked around for whoever or whatever thought they could hurt Riley. Mia still had no idea what had happened to the little girl, but she was gone, and until Mia was sure she was safe and sound, she wouldn't rest.

Storm was sniffing the streets. Mia hoped she was on to something, but the most the dog had ever tracked down was missing treats. Mia wasn't sure how good she was at tracking down four year old girls. Serena was in a panic, looking around everywhere for a sign of… well, for a sign for something.

"I'm so sorry, Mia," she said while checking behind street benches, stands, and even posts, "I told her to play outside. I didn't think something would happen."

"Just help me find her," Mia growled, "Riley trusts me. She's just a kid. Too much has already happened to her."

"Maybe it was just her parents," Serena turned to the pink Ranger. She hadn't morphed. She didn't think it was necessary, but Mia was in full spandex and even through the visor Serena knew she had a look that would kill whoever or whatever was the cause of this panic, "Riley may have gotten excited and forgot…"

"You heard that scream better than I did," Mia growled. "Riley was scared. Help me find her or…"

Storm's bark interrupted Mia and the two turned just in time to see the little dog bolt off down an alley. If dogs could curse, Storm was cursing like a sailor as she charged at a man on a phone beside a van.

Storm hadn't known Riley for long. Just a couple of days, but Riley had become a part of her pack. Storm always protected her pack.

"Storm, stop!" Serena shouted and tried to grab the dog, who had bit the stranger in the leg and refused to open her jaw to let him go. Serena's pulling only made it worse so she let go. That was when the man started kicking at the dog.

"Where the hell did you come from?" the stranger shouted and removed his bag from his back and used it to hit Storm repeatedly. He had something heavy in the bag. Something hard and heavy. As soon as the bag his Storm over the head she was out. Serena grabbed the stranger and smashed him into the wall.

"She's just a dog!"

"A psycho dog! Control your pet!"

Mia watched the scene with a heavy feeling in her stomach. Storm knew better than to attack anyone. She only did so when threatened. Something about this man had threatened Storm and had made her so angry she didn't just snap, like she used to do with Mike when they didn't like each other, she almost tore his leg off.

Then she heard it. Pounding from inside the van. There was someone inside. She didn't care who. She tried to open it but it was locked. She turned to the driver's window, pulled out her Spin Sword and smashed the hilt of it into the glass. She heard a scream. A little scream. She unlocked the door from the inside and then unlocked the back door of the van. She slid it open and looked inside.

Tucked away, at the very back of the van, and curled up into a tight little ball was Riley.

"Did he hurt you?" Mia as the pink Ranger asked Riley, who at this point could only nod her head. Mia's rage, if possible, doubled as she turned on the man who had taken Riley. He ripped him away from Serena and smashed him into the wall repeatedly. "Who the hell are you?"

"Who are you?" the man asked Mia.

"Her mother," Mia growled. She pressed the man against the wall with one arm while her other hand reached for her Spin Sword. Just as she was about to use it to carve the man in half, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Pinky, maybe it's best if you let me take it from here," Serena said. Mia's muscles were tense, and even through the helmet the stranger could feel the burn of her glare. The pink Ranger terrified him. He never would have taken the kid if he knew she belonged to a pink Ranger.

"Pink," Serena growled and squeezed Mia's shoulder a little tighter. Mia growled and the lowered her sword and moved away from the man, letting Serena take over.

"Just… call Ji's friends. Get that piece of scum out of my face before I need to use Symbol Power," Mia said and then turned her attention back to the van. She had already caught Riley's attention. She could see terror in the little girls' eyes and it broke her heart. Riley had suffered enough; this was the last thing she needed to live through (though fortunately she had lived). But there was also excitement in her eyes. Mia knew why. The pink Ranger was Riley's hero: now it was real.

"It's okay, Riley. No one's going to hurt you."

"Mommy?"

Mia sighed. She had only called herself Riley's mother to really scare the man who took her. She shook her head, "No, but your Auntie Serena told me you were a little pink Ranger. I had to come and help you myself."

"Is the bad man gone?"

MIa looked over her shoulder and saw the man lying unconscious at Serena's feet while she was on the phone. Serena noticed Mia looking at her and shrugged, "What?"

Mia turned back to Riley, "No one is ever going to hurt you again. I'll be looking out for you."

"Pinky promise?" Riley held out her hand. Mia nodded her head and wrapped her pinky around Riley's.

"That's my favourite kind of promise," after sealing the deal she took the little girl in her arms and pulled her out of the van. She set her down on her feet and had a look at her wrists. Her hands were red, maybe even purple. Her wrists had been tied too tightly. Mia picked up her Spin Sword and cut right through the rope. She then massaged the little girl's wrists to help get the blood flowing again.

"He said mommy and daddy were looking for me," Riley explained to the pink Ranger.

"I'm sure, if they're out there, they are," Mia held the little girl in her arms, "But I'm going to give you back to Serena, okay? She's going to take really good care of you."

"We'll go home and you can tell Mia all about who saved you," Serena took Riley from Mia's arms and hugged her. She didn't know Riley like Mia did, but seeing a child in danger had flared up Serena's maternal instincts and she was so happy the little girl was safe.

It seemed they had also caused Mia's to flare right up as well, and as Riley was passed from Mia's arms to Serena's, the girls exchanged a glance. Even through the visor, Serena could see Mia had noticed it as well.

"You can be a mother. You can be an amazing mother," she whispered, "If you work for it, your dream can still come true. It'll just be different…"

"Better," Mia put her hand on Riley's back, stroking it comfortingly as the little girl cried. Then she looked to Serena, "I can make it better."

"I'll get her home," Serena said and then she kissed Riley's cheek, "Mia's going crazy worrying about you, little pink Ranger. She's going to be so happy you're safe. You know, she was the one who called the pink Ranger to save you."

"S-She did?" Riley asked with a slight hiccup as she tried to speak between sobs. Serena nodded her head.

"Yep."

"Is she home?"

"She'll be there waiting for you," Serena promised and gestured to Mia to leave so she could get a head start. Mia nodded and then pointed to the ground were Storm lay beside the stranger who had started this mess.

"I got it," Serena whispered. "Ji's friend is on his way and we'll be home right after that."

Mia nodded and took off, powering down when she was out of sight. She wiped the tears from her eyes and had to stop for a moment to recompose herself before heading back the rest of the way.

When she got back to the house she saw a crowd of people on the front lawn. As she got closer, she saw it was the Samurai. She paused for a moment and it was just enough time for them to notice her. She didn't understand it, but she started to cry again. Kevin rushed right over.

"What happened? Are you okay? Who did this? What's wrong," he asked worriedly as he looked her over to make sure she wasn't hurt. Mia shook her head and pulled away, hugging herself. She didn't deserve him.

"I'm sorry, Kevin…"

"We need to talk," he told her and Mia nodded her head. Kevin then let out a sigh and gently pulled her into his arms. He hugged her warmly, "Are you okay?"

"No," she shook her head, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."


	98. Still A Chance At A Happy Ending

Riley had cried herself to sleep by the time Serena got home, so Mia had a little time to talk to Kevin. She had made it clear to him that if Riley woke up she would need to leave and Kevin understood. He wouldn't let the little girl suffer again because of an issue between him and his fiancé.

The others were elsewhere in the house, getting a tour mostly of the upstairs so Mia and Kevin could have some privacy to talk things over.

Kevin had prepared a tea for Mia and set it down on the table for her. He could see there was something wrong and he wanted to help. It still hurt to look at her, but he couldn't fight the urge to help. He sat down.

"Maybe if you explain to me what happened?"

"I can't have kids, Kevin."

"I know," he nodded his head, "but what you did? Calling off the wedding? Calling us off? Mia, that's not like you. Why didn't you come talk to me? If you can tell me you were about to kill yourself, why can't you tell me the doctor said you can't have kids?"

Mia shrugged her shoulder and stared into her tea, "You didn't deserve that."

"I know, Mia, but…"

"I know you want kids, Kevin. That's what I'm talking about. You're terrified of them, but you want them. Almost as much as I do. And you would make a great father. You should be able to have that. I know it's stupid. Just like how I almost killed myself because dad wouldn't be at my wedding. It's stupid and I'm sorry I hurt you."

Kevin leaned back in his chair, "It did hurt, Mia. Not the kids part. We'll get over that. You just walked out."

"I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry."

"You left it all behind. If things hadn't worked out this way, you'd be in Pennsylvania right now and we… we would be over. I don't want that."

"You don't?"

"I don't know about us, but I don't want you to leave me like that. Suddenly. It hurt, Mia."

"I'll never make it up to you, I know…"

"But you know what hurt even more than that?" Kevin asked and Mia shrugged her shoulders. He took her hand, "It hurt so much more because it hurt. Because I still love you. I still want to be with you. I want to get past this…"

"I do too," Mia said. "It probably doesn't mean anything now but… I do want to get married to you. I want to have your kids. Even if I can't get pregnant. Even if we have to find another way. I realized I need to be a little flexible."

"Where was this back then, huh," Kevin sighed. He looked to Mia for a moment and saw how upset she was and he could feel how much it hurt him to see her upset. He wanted to make everything better for her. "Why don't you move in?"

"What?"

"It's our house. You have every right to be there. You can sleep in the guest bedroom but… but I want you to come home. I want to try this again."

"Seriously? But Kevin…"

"Mike's got your ring," Kevin said, "We'll do like a test drive until he and Emily come home. If we can get this resolved by then, or if we're feeling confident, we'll go back to planning a wedding. If things just don't work out, at least we gave it a shot. I'll move out."

"Kevin…"

"No. You lost the ability to have kids. I know how much that meant to you, and if I walk away, you'll be losing prince charming too," he flashed her a little smiled and then gave her hand a gentle squeeze, "You're going to at least keep your dream home."

Mia didn't know what to say. Tears clouded her vision and without thinking she threw herself into Kevin's arms.

Serena had been wrong. Her dreams could come true. Kevin was truly perfect.

"I love you so much," she told him and kissed him passionately, and her heart soared when he returned it with just as much passion. She would do all she could to never lose him again.

But then she heard a scream from upstairs and her heart tore in two. She wanted to stay with Kevin and prove to him she was trying to make things work, but Riley needed her. Kevin let her go and smiled.

"The kid needs you."

"Are you…"

"Go. It's okay. I'll stay here and convince the others to stop with the glares. I guess our trial run is going to include a little girl."

Mia gave him a smile and another kiss before darting upstairs. Serena had promised Riley she would be waiting for her when she got home. Mia didn't want that promise to be broken.

She burst into the room and looked to the bed. Riley was sitting up, hugging her pink Ranger Teddy Bear and sobbing. Mia's heart shattered for the little girl again as she heard her cry for her mother.

"Shh," Mia whispered and sat down beside Riley. She took her in her arms and hugged her, "It's okay. You're safe. The pink Ranger saved you."

"I… I… I want mommy," Riley looked up at Mia with her teary eyes. Mia felt a little piece of her dying inside.

"I know you do," it was all she could say. At this point she really didn't know what to do. She just held the little girl and did what she could to calm her down.

Eventually the sobbing subsided, and the cry for her mother also stopped, but Riley was still upset. Terrified, even. Mia didn't know how to make her feel better, or safer.

Then she saw the Ranger mask on the night table and smiled. She gave Riley a kiss on the head and got up. Riley let out a scream.

"MIA!"

"It's okay. I have a surprise for you. Can you keep a secret?"

"Yeah."

"Pinky promise?"

Riley nodded her head, dried her eyes with her hand and then wrapped her pinky around Mia's. After making the promise Riley looked up and then gasped, "Pink… Pink Ranger?"

Beneath her helmet Mia smiled and nodded her head, "I promised I would keep you safe, remember?"

"Yeah," Riley's smile went from ear to ear and she nodded her head excitedly. Mia then surprised her again when she removed the helmet. There was so much shock and excitement in Riley, Mia was worried she was going to explode and spray confetti and streamers and balloons all over the room.

"MIA!" she launched herself into Mia/Pink Ranger's arms.

"The pink Ranger makes everything better," Mia promised the little girl, "I'm going to find you a home, alright sweetheart. I'll make sure it's a good one. You're going to be okay."

"I love you," Riley nestled into Mia, resting her head on Mia's shoulders as she got comfortable in her arms. Mia smiled and stroked the little girl's back.

"I love you too."

**The End**

_**Author's Note: Still some more to come, just in a different story. The Rangers have saved the world and they're getting their new lives started. I've been waiting to write this part so look out for the final installment of the Way of the Samurai Series: Way Of The Samurai: A New Life.**_


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